Chinese Braised Pork Trotters
Show off your cooking skills at a gathering with friends by choosing braised pig's trotters. This dish is grand and impressive. The pig's trotters are cooked to an attractive color and have a rich taste. Carefully prepared, it will make friends eat happily and make the gathering more enjoyable.
Required raw materials and substitutes
Main ingredients
Pig's trotters: Rich in collagen, soft and delicious. It is the key ingredient of the dish and has a mellow taste.
Accessories
Ginger: Sliced to remove fishy smell and enhance fragrance. It helps enhance the overall aroma of the dish and remove the fishy smell of pig's trotters.
Scallion white: Cut into sections and used in blanching and stir-frying processes to add fragrance and enrich the flavor hierarchy.
Star anise: Gives a rich anise fragrance, making the taste of the dish more mellow and rich, and the aroma is tangy.
Bay leaves: Brings a unique fragrance of bay leaves, making the flavor of the dish unique and more attractive.
Seasonings
Liquor: Removes fishy smell and greasiness. In the blanching process, it helps remove the peculiar smell of pig's trotters and makes the taste of pig's trotters more pure.
Oil: Used for stir-frying rock sugar, spices and pig's trotters, so that the ingredients are heated evenly and are conducive to integrating various flavors.
Rock sugar: Plays a role in enhancing color and adding sweetness, making braised pig's trotters bright red in color and richer and more layered in taste.
Dark soy sauce: Mainly used for coloring, making the color of pig's trotters bright and attractive and increasing appetite.
Light soy sauce: Adds salty and fresh taste, making the taste of pig's trotters more sufficient and highlighting the flavor of the ingredients themselves.
Cooking wine: Removes fishy smell and enhances fragrance. In the stir-frying process, it further removes the residual fishy smell of pig's trotters and enhances the fragrance.
Sugar: Supplements sweetness, making the overall taste more harmonious and enhancing the flavor and taste of the dish.
Salt: Basic seasoning, controlling the saltiness of the dish and highlighting the delicious taste of the ingredients.
Substitutes
Pig's trotters: Pig's elbows can be substituted. They are also rich in collagen. Although the taste and shape are slightly different, they are also delicious.
Scallion white: Onions can be substituted. They have obvious sweetness and unique fragrance and can bring a different flavor to the dish.
Star anise: Fennel can be substituted. It has a unique spicy flavor and will give the dish different flavor characteristics.
Bay leaves: Tsaoko cardamom can be substituted. It has a strong and unique fragrance and can add a different aroma to the dish.
Liquor: Cooking wine can be substituted. They both have the function of removing fishy smell, but the liquor fragrance is slightly different.
Rock sugar: White granulated sugar can be substituted. The functions are similar and are mainly used for seasoning and enhancing color to make the dish more beautiful in color.
Cooking wine: Beer can be substituted. It has a malt aroma and can add a unique flavor while removing fishy smell.
Sugar: Honey can be substituted. It has a unique sweetness and can also make the surface of the dish more shiny and have a unique flavor.
Why should pig's trotters be blanched in hot water first?
This is to remove the blood and strange smell from the pig's trotters. Only in this way can the dish be clean and delicious.
Blanching in hot water is better than in cold water. Hot water can seal the surface of the pig's trotter meat at once, so there is less loss of nutrition. Moreover, the blood and impurities will quickly coagulate and float up in hot water, which is easy to clean. If cold water is used, the blood will slowly dissolve in the water, making the soup turbid and the taste of the pig's trotters not good.
Adding ginger, scallions and cooking wine during blanching can remove more fishy smell and make the pig's trotters fragrant. Later, it will be easier for the flavors to penetrate when cooking. This step seems simple, but it has a great impact on whether the braised pig's trotters are delicious or not and cannot be omitted.
Can this dish be made in a pressure cooker?
Yes. In this way, the cooking time of 2 hours can be shortened to about 30 minutes.
When using a pressure cooker, the steps such as blanching and caramelizing in the early stage remain unchanged. However, the amount of water added should be one-third less than that of ordinary stewing because the pressure cooker has less evaporation loss.
For specific operation, put all the materials in, cover the lid, turn to low heat after the high pressure builds up, and time for 30 minutes.
How to heat and store braised pig's trotters?
For heating braised pig's trotters, it is best to steam them in a steamer for 5 to 8 minutes. This can maintain the tenderness of the meat and the richness of the soup. Heating in a microwave oven can easily make the meat dry.
For storage, wait until the pig's trotters are completely cooled, and then put them in a sealed fresh-keeping box. Refrigeration can preserve them for 3 days, and freezing can preserve them for 2 weeks. When refrigerating, it is best to store the soup and pig's trotters together so that they will not be too dry when reheated.
If it is a packed takeaway pig's trotter, it is recommended to eat it within 4 hours. The time placed at room temperature should not exceed 2 hours to avoid bacterial growth. After returning home, if you cannot finish eating it at one time, immediately separate and refrigerate it. When taking it each time, only take out the portion to be eaten and heat it.
INGREDIENTS
Main Ingredients
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·1 piece Pig's trotters
Accessories
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·10g Ginger
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·20g Green onions (white part)
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·3 pieces Star anise
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·3 leaves Bay leaves
Seasonings
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·10ml White wine
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·15ml Oil
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·30g Rock sugar
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·15ml Dark soy sauce
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·15ml Light soy sauce
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·10ml Cooking wine
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·3g Sugar
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·3g Salt
Table of Contents
COOKING STEP
Step 1
Cut 1 pigs trotter into evenly sized pieces.
Step 2
Cut 10g ginger into slices and 20g white scallion into sections for later use.
Step 3
Pour 500ml hot water into the pot, put the cut pigs trotters into the pot for blanching.
Step 4
Then add ginger slices, white scallion sections and 10ml baijiu, and stir evenly.
Step 5
Cover the pot, boil the water, and then remove the pigs trotters.
Step 6
Pour 15ml oil into the pot, add 30g rock sugar, and stir-fry.
Step 7
When the rock sugar slowly melts, add 3 star anise and 3 bay leaves, and stir-fry until fragrant.
Step 8
Then pour the pigs trotters into the pot, stir-fry until the pigs trotters change color.
Step 9
Add white scallion sections and ginger slices, stir-fry for a few seconds, then add 15ml dark soy sauce, 15ml light soy sauce, and 10ml cooking wine, and stir evenly.
Step 10
Add 500ml clear water, the amount of water should be level with the pigs trotters, and then cover the pot.
Step 11
When there are floating impurities, skim them off, cover the pot and continue to cook for one hour.
Step 12
When the water in the pot gradually dries up, add 3g sugar and 3g salt.
Step 13
Finally, turn to high heat, stir-fry quickly to collect the juice, and then you can take out the pot and taste the delicious braised pigs trotters.
More recipes worth trying
Delicious Braised Prawns Recipe
Classic Culinary Delight: Dongpo Pork
Recipe variations
Adding mushrooms for a stronger fragrance:
Soak the mushrooms first until they are soft, then cut them into slices and throw them into the pot at the very beginning of making the soup. The strong fragrance of mushrooms can immediately make the soup extremely fragrant.
Adding red dates for a sweet taste:
When making the soup, casually throw in a few red dates. The natural sweetness of red dates slowly melts into the soup, giving the tomato and feta cheese soup a hint of sweetness. It is smooth and warm when drunk.
Spicy stimulation is extremely exciting:
If you want to give your taste buds some stimulation, just add a few dried chili segments when cooking. As soon as the fire is lit, the spiciness immediately emerges. Mixed with the sour and sweet of tomatoes and the richness of feta cheese, taking a sip is hot and spicy.
Trying Southeast Asian style for a new taste:
If you love trying new flavors, add some fish sauce and lemon leaves. As soon as the fish sauce is added, the soup is extremely fresh. Those who love looking for new sensations must not miss it.
Eating methods
Pairing with staple foods:
Pairing with rice: Cook soft white rice. Pour the sauce of braised pig's trotters on the rice and stir it evenly with chopsticks so that the rice is all covered with sauce. When eating, eat a mouthful of rice covered with sauce first, and then take a bite of pig's trotters. The sweetness of rice can remove the greasiness of pig's trotters. This combination is delicious and goes well with rice.
Pairing with steamed buns: For freshly steamed hot steamed buns, split them open from the middle and stuff several pieces of braised pig's trotters. Steamed buns have a wheat fragrance. The pig's trotters are soft and chewy and firm. Eating like this is convenient and has a good taste. It's like a simple Chinese hamburger.
Pairing with beverages:
Pairing with ice-cold beer: On a hot summer night, have a bottle of ice-cold beer and eat it with braised pig's trotters. Ice-cold beer has bubbles. Drinking it can wash away the oil of pig's trotters. The wheat fragrance of beer also goes well with the meaty fragrance of pig's trotters. Eating pig's trotters while drinking beer is comfortable and satisfying.
Pairing with orange juice: Freshly squeezed orange juice contains vitamin C. The sour and sweet taste can neutralize the oil of braised pig's trotters. When eating pig's trotters, drink a mouthful of orange juice from time to time. The alternation of fruit fragrance and meaty fragrance is refreshing and not greasy. This combination is suitable for the whole family.
Eating temperature:
Hot food: As soon as the braised pig's trotters are freshly out of the pot, steam is rising. At this time, the taste is the best. The meat skin is soft and elastic. The meat is tender and juicy. The spice flavor is all in. It smells delicious. Eating it hot can taste all the deliciousness of braised pig's trotters. Every mouthful is fresh, spicy and delicious.
Cold food: If there are still some pig's trotters left and they are eaten after being refrigerated in the refrigerator, the taste is different. The refrigerated pig's trotters are firmer. The meat skin is as elastic as jelly. Eating it is refreshing and not greasy. As a cold dish, it is also good to pair it with some cold vegetables.
Eating tips:
Eating by hand: For those who like to eat freely, put on disposable gloves and directly grab and eat braised pig's trotters by hand. Hands can turn the pig's trotters flexibly and eat every part. It's very enjoyable.
Eating after disassembling: If you want to be more elegant, first cut the braised pig's trotters into small pieces with a knife and fork, and then pick them up with chopsticks. Eating like this is not easy to dirty the face. It is also convenient to eat with others. When entertaining guests at home, it is appropriate to do so.
FAQs:
Although rear trotters are larger in size and have more meat, the collagen content is relatively less, and the skin is thicker. It requires a longer cooking time to become soft, and it is not as easy to absorb flavors as front trotters.
When purchasing, choose fresh front trotters. The meat color should be pink. The skin should be white and shiny. When pressed, it should be elastic. Pig's trotters like this will be more delicious after cooking. It is best to choose front trotters weighing about 0.5-0.75 kilograms. This size is most suitable for family consumption and it is also easier to control the heat.
Specifically, after blanching for 3 minutes for the first time, discard the water. For the second blanching, add cooking wine and ginger slices after 5 minutes. This can remove most of the oil and fishy smell.
In terms of seasoning, you can appropriately increase the amount of vinegar, ginger, and garlic. These seasonings can remove greasiness. It is recommended to add 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar or 1 slice of lemon, 3 slices of ginger, and 2 cloves of garlic. At the same time, you can add an appropriate amount of white pepper and cinnamon. These spices can not only enhance the fragrance but also remove greasiness.
During the frying process, rock sugar will melt and adhere to the surface of the pig's trotters. At this time, continuing to stir-fry will make the surface of the pig's trotters form a layer of caramel-colored coating. This process requires slow frying over medium heat. If the heat is too high, it is easy to burn the rock sugar.
During frying, you should not leave your hand at all times. Keep turning the spices with a spatula. Especially for spices like star anise and cinnamon that are easy to burn. If you find that the spices start to turn dark, immediately add other ingredients or add water to avoid the spices from being burnt.
REVIEWS
