Pit's trotters in a Hong Kong market.
Trotters is another name for pig's feet and includes both the front and back feet. In the tradition of Southern food or soul food, they were eaten to remain consistent with the habit of wasting nothing---in this case, every part of the pig was used, right down to its feet. Trotters are also cooked and eaten in other cultures, though; for instance, the French prepare them as a dish called "pied de cochon," which means feet of pig. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Instructions
1. Wash the pig trotters thoroughly under cold water.
2. Make sure they fit in your pot. Sometimes, they're sold with a lot of the shank left on them. If your trotters have a lot of the shank attached and they're too big to fit in your pot, cut them in smaller pieces.
3. Fill your pot with enough liquid to cover the trotters with about 2 inches of water or other boiling liquid. Instead or in addition to water, you can use any kind of stock or broth, or add vinegar so it makes up about a quarter of the boiling liquid. Add aromatics, such as one chopped carrot, celery stalk and onion, if you're using just water.
4. Bring your liquid just to a boil, then lower the temperature to maintain a simmer.
5. Simmer the pig's trotters for 2 to 3 hours, until soft. Alternatively, you can coat the boiled trotters in butter and bread crumbs, and bake them in the oven at 350 degrees F until browned, about 20 minutes. You can also deep fry or broil them until their skin bubbles and is crispy.
6. Serve the trotters hot with side dishes such as collard greens and black-eyed peas.
Tags: boiling liquid, they your, trotters with