Pickled Pigs' Feet (several recipes)

Posted by dizzybreez at recipegoldmine.com May 8, 2001

4 pigs' feet
3 cups vinegar
1 onion
12 black peppercorns
6 cloves
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon salt

Split the pigs' feet, scrub thoroughly and cover with cold water. Add the vinegar and bring to a boil. Skim off the top. Add seasonings and boil slowly for 2 hours. Cool in liquid and serve cold.

Pickled Pig Feet

3-4 pounds split pig feet
1/2 cup sweet pickle juice
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
1-2 teaspoons ground cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Boil pig feet in enough water to cover well until tender.

In separate pot mix all remaining ingredients, bring to a boil. Pour most of the water off pig feet, replace that liquid with vinegar mixture, bring to a boil, then simmer on low for 20-30 minutes.

Comments: May double or increase vinegar mixture as needed, if you are cooking a larger amount of pig feet.

Pickled Pigs' Feet

4 pigs' feet
2 1/2 teaspoon cloves
2 bay leaves
4 cups vinegar
1 tablespoon salt
1 onion

Cover pig's feet with water. Boil until meat separates from bone. Strain broth where feet have been boiled. Combine broth, cloves, bay leaves, vinegar, salt and onion. Boil mixture 30 minutes.

Put pig's feet in half gallon jar. Pour broth mixture over pig's feet. Seal and let set 5 days before using.

Pickled Pork Hocks and Pigs' Feet

1 gallon water
12 ounces salt
4 ounces Prague Powder #1

The above brine is for 15 pounds. Meat is placed in a pot with the brine and heated to 210 (just below boiling) shut the heat off and allow to sit all night. The next morning bring temperature to 180 degrees F and cook until tender.

Drain the liquid and place meat back in pot and allow running cold water to fill the container and overflow, allowing the meat to cool and to rinse off unwanted fat particles. Place the meat in a container and cover with vinegar, allow to sit overnight, remove the meat from the vinegar and discard. Place in a jar and cover with fresh vinegar... add whole bay leaves or red peppers for decoration.

My recipe, which calls for a little more flavor then vinegar...and a little more color is below. I would basically smoke the hocks or feet first to ensure they are done, but you could boil them first and add "liquid smoke" for a similar result...

For ham brine I use:

5 quarts water (cold)
8 ounces salt,
6 ounces cane syrup or brown sugar
4 ounces Prague powder #1

I immerse the hams and then pump them with about 12 ounces of the brine. I then allow them to soak for 4 to 5 days.

For hocks or feet, I would use the same brine, for whole hocks or feet, I would probable inject 2 or 3 ounces of brine, then let them soak for the same time.

For smoking, remove from brine, and allow to dry, patting them if you want to speed up the process Place them in the preheated smoker (142 degrees F damper open) for 3 hours, then raise the temp to 165 degrees F and smoke until internal temperature is 152 - 155 degrees F.

Remove from the smoker and allow to come to room temperature.

Now for the pickling brine. My recipe for pickled sausage calls for straight vinegar, I did this the first time, and although good, needed something else, so my last batch was like this:

Vinegar to water ratio 2:1 (I won't give exact amounts since I do not know what type of container you would use... I'd use a 1 gallon pickle jar...)

1/2 teaspoon pickling spice
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
1 bulb garlic, peeled, about 10 cloves
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 slice fresh beet (for coloring only)

Place all ingredients except garlic, beet, and pork in pot and bring to a boil. Place the beet in the bottom of the jar along with garlic, pack in the pork that you'd like to pickle, add the pickle juice, and place jar on lid. Allow to sit at room temp until jar is cool. Place in refrigerator, and allow to pickle for 1 to two weeks. Should keep indefinitely in the fridge...

Pickled Pigs' Feet

6 young pig's feet, split
2 cups wine or tarragon vinegar or regular vinegar
2 onions
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon paprika
1 red pepper pod
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon celery seed
Pinch marjoram
Salt and pepper

Wash pig's feet well. Cover with cold, salted water. Soak. Drain. Place in a stockpot. Cover with cold water and simmer 1 hour.

Add vinegar, onion, bay leaves, paprika, red pepper, cloves, dry mustard, celery seed, marjoram, salt and pepper to season. Simmer until tender.

Makes 6-8 servings.