Boiled Pig Feet Recipe

Clean pig feet

Rinse the pig feet under cold running water. Using a small knife, remove any coarse hairs or stubborn dirt. If the feet are very large, halve them at the ankle joint so pieces fit in your pot and cook evenly.

Blanch to remove impurities

Place pig feet in a large stockpot and cover with cold water. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Boil for 8 minutes, then drain and discard the blanching water. Rinse the pot and pig feet with hot water to remove scum. This step reduces strong odors and impurities.

Prep aromatics

While feet are draining, roughly chop the onion, carrots, and celery. Smash the garlic cloves with the flat of a knife; leave skins on or peel per preference. Tie the parsley into a small bundle with kitchen twine if desired for easy removal later.

Combine in pot

Return the cleaned pig feet to the stockpot. Add 4 liters of fresh cold water (enough to cover the feet by 1–2 inches). Add the chopped onion, carrots, celery, smashed garlic, bay leaves, parsley bundle, black peppercorns, allspice, thyme, red pepper flakes, apple cider vinegar, and 1 tablespoon of the kosher salt (reserve remaining salt to adjust later).

Bring to gentle simmer

Bring the pot to a gentle boil over high heat, then immediately reduce heat to maintain a low simmer. Partially cover the pot with a lid to limit evaporation while allowing steam to escape. Skim any foam that rises to the surface during the first 15–20 minutes.

Simmer until tender

Simmer gently for 2 to 3 hours, checking after 90 minutes. The feet are done when the skin and connective tissue are tender and almost falling from the bone; a fork should slide in easily and the collagen will give the liquid a slightly silky mouthfeel. Add more water if necessary to keep feet submerged.

Adjust seasoning and reduce (optional)

When feet are tender, remove the parsley bundle and bay leaves. Taste the cooking liquid and add the remaining 1 tablespoon kosher salt as needed. If you prefer a more concentrated broth, remove the pig feet and vegetables with a slotted spoon and simmer the liquid uncovered 10–20 minutes to reduce and intensify flavor, then return feet to warm briefly.

Shred or serve whole

You can serve pig feet whole, halved, or remove meat and skin from the bones and roughly shred. If shredding, use two forks to pull the meat away from bone and mix with some of the cooking liquid to keep it moist.

Garnish and serve

Transfer pig feet to a serving plate or bowl. Spoon hot cooking liquid or reduced broth over them. Squeeze fresh lime or lemon wedges over individual portions and sprinkle with chopped cilantro or parsley if using. Serve with rice, crusty bread, or boiled potatoes to soak up the broth.

Storage

Cool any leftover pig feet and broth to room temperature within 2 hours, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. The broth will gel when chilled because of the collagen—reheat gently to liquefy before serving.