Guide to pig\'s trotters

What are pig's trotters?

Pig’s trotters are a cut of pork comprising of the pig's feet, typically from the ankle down. For some, they’re a real treat, and for others they are a very unusual and daunting piece of meat. Whilst they are commonly used in European cuisine, such as French cuisine where they are elevated to a fine dining dish, it’s still a little rare to see them on British menus.

But that doesn't mean to say that we can’t go ahead and serve up this affordable and flavoursome cut of pork in our own home.

How to cook pig's trotters

The meat from pork trotters is fantastic for creating rich and flavoursome stocks and soups, but the whole cut can be cooked and served up to great effect. It’s this versatility that further strengthens the advocacy for trotters.

Pig’s trotters are best cooked slowly over a long period of time. Many fantastic recipes opt for braising, where the meat can slowly tenderise in delicious stocks. Stewed and roasted pig's trotters are also winning dishes, as long as we stick to the general rule of long, slow cooking.

Although it’s a fairly time intensive affair when cooking pig’s trotters, the flavour and succulence it yields once done makes it well worth the wait.

How long does it take to cook pig’s trotters? As a rough guideline, slow cooked pig’s trotters will take around 6-8 hours.