Pig’s feet is a delicacy that can be cooked in different ways. It is a popular cuisine around the world and has many health benefits.
Here is everything you need to know about pig’s feet, including how to make a delicious dish at home.
What is pig’s feet?
Pig’s feet, also known as trotters or pettitoes, is the culinary term for the feet of a pig. It is a popular delicacy globally and experienced a resurgence in the late 2000s, especially in Europe. A pig’s feet has a lot of tough connective tissue and thick skin. Therefore, preparations involve cleaning by pulling off all the hair and ong cooking processes over low heat.
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This process helps break down the tissues and make the meat more tender. Also, they are often used to make meat stock and can be served as a normal cut of meat as well. In addition, this part of the pig’s body contains a lot of collagen when cooked. This collagen is responsible for the health benefits of eating pig’s feet, which include maintaining healthy skin, relieving joint pain and contributing to muscle gain.
Furthermore, they are loaded with protein and fat, while lacking in carbs and fibre. Below is the nutritional content of a pig’s foot, according to WebMD:
- Calories: 197
- Protein: 19 grams
- Fat: 14 grams
- Carbohydrates: 0 grams
- Fiber: 0 grams
In addition, the micronutrients found in a typical pig’s foot can also be found in the more popular cuts of pork. They are the following:
- Phosphorus
- Zinc
- Vitamin B12
- Iron
Like everything else, there are potential problems with indulging in pig’s feet. For instance, they contain heavy metals – which are toxins such as chromium and lead – that can lead to serious health problems. Hence, it is advised to eat pig’s feet in moderation.
Pig’s feet recipe
As previously stated, the pig’s feet is best cooked slowly to bring out the flavour and make the meat – which is usually tough – more tender. Also, it is a great source of fantastic stock which you can use to cook any dish of your choice. The meat can also be served alone or alongside other dishes such as rice, yam, porridge and pasta.
In other words, the pig’s feet goes well with soups, stews or any dish of your choice. It can be salted, cured, pickled, stewed, pan-roasted or boiled.
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How to cook pig’s feet
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 2 hrs 5 mins
Total time: 2 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- Eight (8) pig’s feet, split
- One onion, chopped
- Two tablespoons seasoned salt
- One tablespoon chopped garlic
- One teaspoon of ground black pepper
- Two bay leaves
- ¾ cup white vinegar
Direction
- Wash the pig’s feet thoroughly in cold water and place it into a large pot. Use a knife to scrape it clean. It is a good idea to ask the butcher to split it for you during purchase, to make preparation easier. Some traditions will advise rinsing with vinegar.
- Add the onion, seasoned salt, garlic, black pepper, vinegar and bay leaves.
- Pour in water and cover.
- Put the pot on heat and bring to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to low and braise until the meat is tender and falling off the bones. The process can take up to two hours.
- Your pig’s feet is ready to be enjoyed.
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