This braised pig's trotter has a bright red color and a soft, chewy texture. After being stewed and soaked for a long time, the flavor penetrates deep into the bone marrow, and the aroma is irresistible. It has a unique flavor when eaten chilled.
Materials
Steps for making soft, chewy, and glossy braised pig's trotters
The pig trotters I bought at the market have already had their hair removed and have been chopped into evenly sized pieces, weighing about 4 pounds. If you're cleaning them yourself, you'll need to use a blowtorch or burn off the hair on a gas stove.
Soak in clean water to remove blood.
Put the ingredients into a pot of cold water along with 4 slices of ginger, 4 star anise, and 4 bay leaves.
Bring to a boil over high heat, then continue cooking for 5-10 minutes. Remove the pig's trotters and rinse them thoroughly with warm water.
Caramelizing sugar: Pour 20g of vegetable oil and 60g of rock sugar into a wok, and stir-fry over medium-low heat.
Continue stirring until the rock sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture turns a deep reddish-brown.
Quickly pour the prepared pig's trotters into the pot, stir-fry evenly so that each piece of pig's trotter is evenly coated with caramelized sugar.
Pour in 120 grams of white wine (or rice wine), stir-fry quickly over high heat for about 3 minutes to allow the alcohol to evaporate, remove the fishy smell, and enhance the aroma.
Next, pour in 60 grams of balsamic vinegar and stir-fry for about 3 minutes. This step is crucial for making the pig's trotters tender.
Add 60g of fermented bean curd sauce, 60g of light soy sauce, 30g of dark soy sauce, 20g of oyster sauce, 30g of sugar, and 5g of salt in that order.
Stir-fry evenly to allow the pig's trotters to absorb the color and flavor of the seasonings.
Pour in enough boiling water (about 2000 grams), enough to completely cover the pig's trotters.
Now add a stewing spice packet and two extra pieces of dried tangerine peel (adding them too early may break the packet). Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium heat, cover, and simmer for 1.5 hours.
After turning off the heat, let the pig's trotters soak in the braising liquid for at least 3 hours (the longer the soaking time, the more flavorful they will be). Since there isn't much braising liquid, you can stir them twice during the process to ensure even flavoring.
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For a firm, chewy texture, refrigerate the pig's trotters along with the braising liquid overnight. The next day, the surface fat will solidify, making it easier to skim off and resulting in a better texture.
Tips for making soft, chewy, and glossy braised pig's trotters
Caramelizing the sugar is crucial for determining the color of the pig's trotters; patience is essential, and the heat should not be too high. Add the trotters immediately after the sugar turns a deep reddish-brown, otherwise the caramel will turn bitter. Using a blowtorch to remove the pig hair thoroughly removes the roots and adds a hint of char, a great way to enhance the flavor. The order of adding wine before vinegar is important; vinegar softens the bones of the trotters, making them easier to stew until tender. The soaking step after turning off the heat is absolutely essential; it's the soul of "infusing flavor." Don't discard the braising liquid; filter it and freeze it as a starter braising liquid for future use, where the flavor will become increasingly rich and mellow.
