Bavarian Beer Hall Pork Shanks - Andrew Zimmern

Ingredients

• 2 cups apple cider
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2/3 cup kosher salt
• 1/2 cup pickling spices
• 4 dried chiles, such as chiles de árbol, lightly crushed
• 4 pork shanks (about 1 1/2-pounds each), scored in a crosshatch pattern (see Note)
• 3 pounds pure lard
• 1 head of garlic, halved horizontally
• 1 handful of mixed thyme and rosemary sprigs