Chinese Pig Feet Recipe: Meaty, Tender, and Flavorful!
Pig feet are a versatile ingredient for making a lot of different dishes. You can braise it, stew it, and make it in multiple other ways. Today’s recipe is a bit different from what you commonly make with pig feet. I will stew it first and then stir-fry it to make it glazy.
Here is my Chinese pig feet recipe. You can amaze your guests at a party with this awesome-looking, delicious dish. It might take some time and effort to make, but the final dish is totally worth it. Let’s make it together.
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview
The total time for cooking this dish may seem a bit long. It is because of the preparation. Check the overview chart below to get a clear idea.
| Cuisine: Chinese | Difficulty: Medium | ||
| Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes | |||
| Serving | Preparation Time | Cooking Time | Calories |
| 2 persons | 30 minutes | 1 hour 10 minutes | 207 kcal |
Ingredients Needed for the Recipe
The authentic recipe uses the following ingredients. You have the freedom to bring some changes according to your preference.
Main Ingredients for the Recipe
- Pig Feet: Two pig feet weighing a total of about 600g
- Soybean: 100g
- Peanuts: 50g
- Onion: 1 cup, roughly chopped
- Ginger: 50g, sliced
- Garlic: 2 tsp, minced
- Brown Rock Candy: 2 tsp
- Cooking Oil: 2 tbsp
Sauces and Seasonings for the Recipe
- Salt: 1 tsp
- Dark Soy Sauce: 1 tbsp
- Light Soy Sauce: 2 tbsp
- Bean Curd: 2 tsp of fermented bean curd juice
- Cooking Wine: 2 tbsp
Chinese Pig Feet Recipe: Step-By-Step Instructions
Planning the steps of cooking this dish can save some of your time. Here are the detailed steps.
Step 1: Soak Soybeans and Peanuts
Take boiling water in a pot. Soak soybeans and peanuts in the water for about half an hour. If you don’t do it first, you will need more time to finish the dish.
Step 2: Blanch the Pig Feet
Add cold water to a wok. Put onion, ginger, and cooking wine in the wok. Also, add the pork feet to the water. Then, turn the heat on and let the water boil.
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Once the water boils, you will see white foam floating. Remove the foam using a spoon. Then, take the pork feet out and let the water drain.
Step 3: Saute the Pork Feet
Place another wok on heat and add cooking oil to it. Then, put the brown rock candy in the wok and stir it on low heat. It will start to melt and caramelize. The caramelization is crucial for the color and flavor of the pork feet.
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Once the caramel is ready, put the pork feet in with the ginger, garlic, and onion. Stir-fry everything over high heat for about 5 minutes or until the pork feet get some color.
Step 4: Add the Soaked Beans and Nuts
After the soybeans and peanuts are soaked for half an hour, add them to the wok. Continue frying the ingredients until they become fragrant.
Step 5: Season the Pork Feet
Put salt, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, and bean curd juice in the wok and mix them evenly. Keep frying the ingredients for about two to three minutes.
Step 6: Stew the Ingredients
Transfer everything to a large casserole and pour enough water to cover the ingredients. Simmer them over low heat for about one hour. Continue checking the water level when the sauce thickens.
When the water is almost dried out, fry the ingredients for a few more minutes until the pig feet are sticky. This will also thicken up the sauce.
Step 7: Garnish and Serve
Take the pig feet off the heat. Garnish it with scallions or parsley and serve with white rice.
Nutrition Facts of Chinese Pig Feet
Pig feet are a very good source of protein. But its fat content is also high. You should see the nutritional values in pig feet to understand the proportion better.
- Total Carbohydrates: 2g
- Protein: 19g
- Total Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 3.8g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.3g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 7g
- Total Dietary Fiber: 1g
- Total Sugar: 1g
- Cholesterol: 93mg
- Sodium: 64mg
- Potassium: 28.7mg
- Calcium: 0.2mg
- Iron: 0.9mg
- Vitamin D: 21IU
Do’s and Don’ts of the Recipe
When making this dish for the first time, these tips can help you manage things easily.
Do’s
- Clean the pig’s feet thoroughly before boiling them. It will result in a nicer-looking dish.
- Always use soaked beans and nuts. This way, you will be able to cook the dish faster.
Don’ts
- While caramelizing the brown rock candy, don’t use high heat. You might end up burning the caramel. It will make the pork feet bitter.
- Don’t stir-fry the pork feet for a long time after stewing it. It will burn the meat and the taste won’t be as desired.
Chinese Pig Feet Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Take boiling water in a pot. Soak soybeans and peanuts in the water for about half an hour. If you don’t do it first, you will need more time to finish the dish.
- Add cold water to a wok. Put onion, ginger, and cooking wine in the wok. Also, add the pork feet to the water. Then, turn the heat on and let the water boil.
- Once the water boils, you will see white foam floating. Remove the foam using a spoon. Then, take the pork feet out and let the water drain.
- Place another wok on heat and add cooking oil to it. Then, put the brown rock candy in the wok and stir it on low heat. It will start to melt and caramelize. The caramelization is crucial for the color and flavor of the pork feet.
- Once the caramel is ready, put the pork feet in with the ginger, garlic, and onion. Stir-fry everything over high heat for about 5 minutes or until the pork feet get some color.
- After the soybeans and peanuts are soaked for half an hour, add them to the wok. Continue frying the ingredients until they become fragrant.
- Put salt, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, and bean curd juice in the wok and mix them evenly. Keep frying the ingredients for about two to three minutes.
- Transfer everything to a large casserole and pour enough water to cover the ingredients. Simmer them over low heat for about one hour. Continue checking the water level when the sauce thickens.
- When the water is almost dried out, fry the ingredients for a few more minutes until the pig feet are sticky. This will also thicken up the sauce.
- Take the pig feet off the heat. Garnish it with scallions or parsley and serve with white rice.
FAQs
Here are answers to some more questions you might ask. Check them out.
Can I use fresh or pre-cooked pig feet for this recipe?
Yes. You can use fresh or pre-cooked pig feet for this recipe. Pre-cooked pig feet will help you make the dish faster.
Can I add vegetables or other ingredients to the dish for extra flavor?
Yes. Adding vegetables like carrots, broccoli, etc., will give this dish some extra flavor. At the same time, the dish will be more nutritious. You can also add some red chilies for extra spiciness.
Can I make this recipe in a slow cooker or pressure cooker?
Of course. Using a pressure cooker will reduce the cooking time. You can also use a slow cooker if you have time. A slow cooker will help you make the pig feet more tender.
How long does it typically take to cook pig feet until tender?
It usually takes about 1 hour to cook pig feet until tender. If you use a pressure cooker, the pig feet will be tender in about 30 minutes.
Conclusion
Among the ways you can make pig feet, slow-cooked pig feet are one of my favorites. The slow cooking makes the pig’s feet so tender that the gelatinous meat falls off the bone. The rich color, aroma, and flavor of this dish are perfectly suitable for a feast.
You will enjoy this Chinese pig feet recipe the most in winter. When your surroundings are cold and you have hot pig feet in front of you, it will make you forget the cold and cover you in warmth. Give it a try someday.
