How to Cook Pig Feet

Pig's feet can be found in a variety of cultural cuisines, but the preparation often varies by region. Since this cut of meat has so much connective tissue and thick skin, however, each cooking method requires slow cooking the feet over low heat to make the meat tender.

Ingredients

Boiled Pig Feet (Southern Style)

Makes 4 to 6 servings

4 pig feet, halved lengthwise
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 tsp (5 ml) salt
1 tsp (5 ml) ground black pepper
1 to 2 Tbsp (15 to 30 ml) red pepper flakes
1 cup (250 ml) white vinegar
1 to 2 cups (250 to 500 ml) barbecue sauce

Braised Pig Feet (Chinese Style)

Makes 2 to 4 servings

2 pig feet, chopped into 4 to 6 pieces each
1 Tbsp (15 ml) cooking oil
3-inch (7.6-cm) ginger root, peeled and sliced
1 garlic clove, peeled and sliced
1 scallion, white section only
3 to 5 dried chili peppers
1 star anise
3 whole cloves
3 Tbsp (45 ml) soy sauce
3 Tbsp (45 ml) rice wine
1 Tbsp (15 ml) sugar
2 tsp (10 ml) salt

Jellied Pig Feet (Eastern European Style)

Makes 4 servings

6 pig feet, halved lengthwise
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp (5 ml) salt
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) ground black pepper

Steps

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Preparing the Pig Feet

1
Scrub the feet clean. Rinse the pig feet under cool, running water. Use a vegetable brush to scrub away any dirt and debris.
- Dry the clean pig feet with paper towels before continuing.
2
Burn off the hairs.^{[1]XResearch source} Light a small, unscented tealight candle. Carefully hold each pig foot over the flame of the candle, rotating it periodically, to burn off as many hairs as possible.
- If you have a gas stove, you can turn on one stove eye to low heat and use the stove flame instead of a candle.
- It's important to use relatively low heat regardless of the method you choose. Using high heat or a large flame can result in accidental burns. To the same end, you should also avoid holding your hand too close to the flame while removing the hairs.
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3
Shave or pluck any remaining hairs. Examine the pig feet. Use a new, disposable razor or clean pair of tweezers to remove any hairs you couldn't burn off.
- The razor will be quicker but will only remove hair from the surface of the foot. The tweezers will be able to remove the entire hair, however, even the portion sitting beneath the skin.
- Once you finish removing the hairs, the pig feet should be ready to use in any recipe.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Boiled Pig Feet (Southern Style)

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1
Combine the pig feet and seasonings. Place the pig's feet, celery, onion, garlic, bay leaves, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and white vinegar in a large stockpot or Dutch oven.
- Wash the pig feet and remove the hairs before placing them in the pot.
- Use a durable mixing spoon to toss the ingredients together after combining them.
2
Cover with water. Pour enough water into the stockpot to cover the pig feet by at least 2 inches (5 cm). Set the stockpot on the stove over medium-high heat.^{[2]XResearch source}
- Allow the water to reach a rolling boil over medium-high heat.
3
Simmer for 2 to 3 hours. Once the water reaches a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low or low, dropping the water to a steady simmer. Cover and cook the pig feet until the meat becomes tender.
- Watch the pig feet as they simmer. Periodically stir the contents of the stockpot and skim away any foam that develops along the surface.
- When ready, the pork should be so tender that it nearly falls off the bone.^{[3]XResearch source}
4
Heat the barbecue sauce. Shortly before serving the pig feet, pour the barbecue sauce into a separate saucepan and heat it gently over medium-low to medium heat.
- You should heat the sauce through so that's slightly warm. A few bubbles are okay, but do not bring the sauce to a full boil.
- Ideally, you should start heating the barbecue sauce within the final 10 minutes of cooking time for the pig feet. If you are unable to time it precisely, you can wait until the pig feet are finished cooking before heating the sauce; remove the pig feet from the heat of the stove beforehand to prevent them from over-cooking.
5
Drain and coat. Remove the pig feet from the cooking water using a slotted spoon. Toss each foot into the warm barbecue sauce and turn to coat.
- If the pan of sauce is large enough, coat all the pig feet at once. Otherwise, coat each pig foot individually and transfer them to a serving platter when done.
Serve the pig feet immediately to enjoy the best flavor. If desired, you can serve additional barbecue sauce on the side.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Braised Pig Feet (Chinese Style)

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1
Briefly boil the pig feet. Place the pig feet in a stockpot and cover them with water. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook the pig feet for about 3 minutes.
- You should clean the pig feet and remove any hairs before completing this step.
- Parboiling the pig feet can help remove some of the odd flavor, thereby preventing it from leeching into the braising liquid you'll use during the primary portion of the cooking process.
2
Drain and set aside. After parboiling the pig feet, remove them from the water using a slotted spoon. Set them aside for now.
- Discard the cooking water. You should not reuse this water in later steps calling for additional water.
3
Heat the oil. Pour the cooking oil into a large, deep wok. Warm it on the stove for about 1 minute over medium-high heat.
- The oil should become glossier and thinner, making it easy to spread it over the bottom of the pan.
- Note that you could use a Dutch oven or stockpot if you do not have a deep wok.
4
Stir-fry the aromatic ingredients. Add the sliced ginger, sliced garlic, and scallion to the oil. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently, then add the chili peppers, star anise, and cloves. Stir-fry for an additional 2 minutes.
- Stir frequently to prevent any of the ingredients from burning. You only need to cook them long enough to release the scent and flavor from each ingredient.
- Note that the amount of chili peppers should vary depending on personal taste. Use 3 dried chili peppers if you prefer mild to moderate heat or 5 dried chili peppers if you enjoy strong heat.
5
Add the pig feet and remaining ingredients. Add the drained pig feet, soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, and salt to the wok. Pour in enough water to just barely cover the pig feet.
- Allow the braising broth to reach a rolling boil, stirring lightly as it heats up.
6
Simmer until tender. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pan. Simmer the pig feet for about 2 hours, or until the meat is tender enough to nearly fall off the bone.^{[4]XResearch source}
- Stir the contents of the pot every 10 to 15 to prevent the pig feet from burning and sticking to the bottom.
- The sauce will eventually thicken. If this happens while the pig feet still seem tough, add more water 1 cup (250 ml) at a time and continue cooking.
- If the sauce still seems thin once the pig feet are done, remove the lid and increase the heat to medium. Continue boiling until the sauce reduces and thickens.
Transfer the finished pig feet and sauce to individual serving dishes and enjoy them while they're still hot.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Jellied Pig Feet (Eastern European Style)

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1
Parboil the pig feet.^{[5]XResearch source} Place the pig feet in a deep saucepan or Dutch oven and cover them with water. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, then cook the pig feet for 2 or 3 minutes.
- Clean the pig feet and remove any hairs before beginning.
- Parboiling the pig feet in this manner should help reduce any strange aftertaste.
Drain the water from the pig feet, then return the pig feet to the pan. Add enough fresh water to cover the pig feet by 1 or 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm), and set the pan back on the stove over medium-high heat.
3
Boil the pig feet and seasonings. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper to the water as it heats. Allow the water to reach a rolling boil.
- You should notice foam gathering at the surface of the water once it boils. Remove this foam with a spoon before continuing.
4
Simmer until tender. Reduce the heat to low and cover the saucepan. Allow the pig feet to simmer for 3 to 4 hours, or until the meat is tender enough to fall off the bones.
- You should continue to periodically skim off any foam that develops at the surface of the cooking broth. When the pig feet are ready, the broth should also be fairly clear.
5
Remove the bones. Pour the contents of the saucepan into four individual serving dishes. Use tongs to carefully remove the bones from the meat as you divide it amongst the dishes.^{[6]XResearch source}
- Note that each dish should contain an equal amount of pork and broth.
- Allow the dishes to sit out and cool down to room temperature before continuing to the next step.
6
Refrigerate the dishes. Place the dishes of pig feet into a refrigerator. Chill for at least 2 hours, or until the mixture solidifies into a jelly-like consistency.
- The bones, connective tissue, and skin break down during the cooking process, and the by-products of these elements reduce down into a natural gelatin.
- The length of refrigeration may vary depending on how much water you used during the cooking process.
Remove the jellied pig feet from the refrigerator and enjoy it cold. You can serve each portion in its molding dish or cut each portion into slices before serving it.

Community Q&A

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Question
Can I reheat boiled pigs feet?
Community Answer
Yes, you can but they may be a little tougher. Make sure that after boiling you consume it within a day or put it in the fridge.
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Question
Can I cook pig feet in a pressure cooker?
Community Answer
Yes. I cook pig feet in the pressure cooker for one hour and they come out tender and falling off the bone.
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Question
Can I cook pig feet in a slow cooker?
Community Answer
Yes. A slow cooker would be an excellent choice for cooking pig feet.
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