Who remembers the old jazz song “Give me an ox foot and a bottle beer …”? This is pretty much how I see the world.
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The foot of a pig is composed so well. Imagine all the cartilage and bones in the joints. The tendons, the meat and all the other things wrapped up in the skin are also worth mentioning.
Each foot is a carefully curated package of pork, and an essential tool in the kitchen. My trotters are individually wrapped in plastic to be kept in the freezer. So, I can always have the perfect soup or dish at my fingertips.
Kenji mentioned to me that pigs’ feet have a mild taste profile. This means they can (and should) be used in other types of animal broths.
It was an easy suggestion but it made me wonder how I had not thought of it before.
When I make chicken soup or menudo or any other hot soupy dish, I now add a trotter. This is a quick and easy way to add body and flavor to your soup. You can also eat the trotter after the soup has been made.
Trotter gear
Trotter gear, which Fergus Henderson coined and created as a “thing”, is stock that’s made by simmering trotters in water.
When refrigerated, trotter gear looks more like rubber erasers than meat stock. This is a great tool to have around the kitchen. It can be used to finish sauces and risottos. It’s great to add to soups or stews. I find it so much easier to use than the store-bought stock. It’s heavy.
If you’re a regular soup eater, you may not need to use trotter gear. But it’s nice to have.
Find the recipe for trotter equipment here >>
The Healthy Jar of Trotter Recipe
