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Pickled Pig's Feet

OliverB

By OliverB
in Cooking

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OliverB

OliverB

Posted
Posted

I came across a jar of pickled pig's feet at Safeway today, could not resist. Says pickled on it, so I'm immediately attracted, and looks like a jar from a medical curiosities display at a circus side show, an other bonus.

But what now? Google tells me they're a Southern thing, and are usually eaten as a snack. Haha, can't wait to put them out for a casual dinner or picknick! But is that all? You just snack on them? Cold? Roast and eat on toast? Dice and put over pasta? Make finger puppets?

Curious what others might suggest here, if anybody here has eaten them before.

I'll eat anything pickled :cool:

"And don't forget music - music in the kitchen is an essential ingredient!"

- Thomas Keller

Diablo Kitchen, my food blog

Dakki

Dakki

Posted
Posted

I'll also eat anything pickled. We should form a club.

Pickled pig's feet (and skins) are mostly a drinking snack, I think. I've never seen either used as ingredients, although the non-pickled variety (of both) improve frijoles charros immensely.

This is my skillet. There are many like it, but this one is mine. My skillet is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it, as I must master my life. Without me my skillet is useless. Without my skillet, I am useless. I must season my skillet well. I will. Before God I swear this creed. My skillet and myself are the makers of my meal. We are the masters of our kitchen. So be it, until there are no ingredients, but dinner. Amen.

BadRabbit

BadRabbit

Posted
Posted (edited)

I'm from the south and can tell you that very few people under the age of 60 eat them. It's just not part of the cuisine much anymore.

All of the Penrose pink water pickled items are becoming less common.

I don't hate pickled pigs feet but I don't love them either and if I'm going to eat gas station fare meat, it's more likely to be Vienna sausages (we pronounce it Vie-EE-na).

I've also never heard of them being used as an ingredient.

Edited by BadRabbit (log)
EatNopales

EatNopales

Posted
Posted

I'm from the south and can tell you that very few people under the age of 60 eat them. It's just not part of the cuisine much anymore.

All of the Pemrose pink water pickled items are becoming less common.

I don't hate pickled pigs feet but I don't love them either and if I'm going to eat gas station fare meat, it's more likely to be Vienna sausages (we pronounce it Vie-EE-na).

I've also never heard of them being used as an ingredient.

Is it because Southern pig feet are just not compelling.. or is that the Southern culinary IQ is diminishing?

BadRabbit

BadRabbit

Posted
Posted (edited)

I'm from the south and can tell you that very few people under the age of 60 eat them. It's just not part of the cuisine much anymore.

All of the Pemrose pink water pickled items are becoming less common.

I don't hate pickled pigs feet but I don't love them either and if I'm going to eat gas station fare meat, it's more likely to be Vienna sausages (we pronounce it Vie-EE-na).

I've also never heard of them being used as an ingredient.

Is it because Southern pig feet are just not compelling.. or is that the Southern culinary IQ is diminishing?

If anything, I believe most southerners are really much more open to outside influence than they used to be and the result is a more eclectic general palate. However, with that, some of the less mainstream southern delicacies have fallen by the wayside. Also, a lot of the dishes were eaten mostly out of necessity because they were cheap and nobody else wanted them (as are a lot of "peasant foods") but with quality meat now relatively cheap people don't eat from "rooter to tooter" anymore.

I like chitterlings and brains with eggs but you won't find many people who don't have some sort of farming in their background who do. I think pickled trotters fall into that same category.

Edited by BadRabbit (log)
OliverB

OliverB

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

I have yet to try them, maybe later today or tonight. They're not pretty to look at, part of what attracted me to them actually, that test tube look :laugh:

"And don't forget music - music in the kitchen is an essential ingredient!"

- Thomas Keller

Diablo Kitchen, my food blog

EatNopales

EatNopales

Posted
Posted

I'm from the south and can tell you that very few people under the age of 60 eat them. It's just not part of the cuisine much anymore.

All of the Pemrose pink water pickled items are becoming less common.

I don't hate pickled pigs feet but I don't love them either and if I'm going to eat gas station fare meat, it's more likely to be Vienna sausages (we pronounce it Vie-EE-na).

I've also never heard of them being used as an ingredient.

Is it because Southern pig feet are just not compelling.. or is that the Southern culinary IQ is diminishing?

If anything, I believe most southerners are really much more open to outside influence than they used to be and the result is a more eclectic general palate. However, with that, some of the less mainstream southern delicacies have fallen by the wayside. Also, a lot of the dishes were eaten mostly out of necessity because they were cheap and nobody else wanted them (as are a lot of "peasant foods") but with quality meat now relatively cheap people don't eat from "rooter to tooter" anymore.

I like chitterlings and brains with eggs but you won't find many people who don't have some sort of farming in their background who do. I think pickled trotters fall into that same category.

Yeah... I think that is a common global pattern as a place gentrifies & globalizes a bit. The first time I visited Omaha, I was doing a consulting gig at one of the Buffet companies, and got to interact with local professionals who grew up in the area.... I was interested in their local traditions, and in my research I came up with fried river fish & Czech dumplings as the more long rooted Omaha things.. but the locals tried to discourage me... "Oh I haven't eaten there in 25 years" with a disparaging tone & some self-pride at their new choices.. instead proudly steering me to utter crap like P.F. Chang's & Macaroni Grill, and I noted they saw ketchup based Pad Thai on a superior plateau of culinary achievement over perceived "cheap foods"

It is always sad when people actually drink the Kool Aid of petty gentrification at the expense of superior traditions with deep roots & accumulated ancient wisdom... if both were free I would gladly choose a plate of exquisitely cooked Oxtails over an exquisitely cooked Tenderloin 9 times out of 10 because it is a gastronomically superior piece of meat even if current mainstream tastes & economics suggest otherwise.

docdix

docdix

Posted
Posted (edited)

Here in the Philippines, we boil the pigs ears, feet and face, we pickle them in a mix of vinegar, soy sauce onions and minced chilli peppers then have this as a snack with beer or distilled spirits. Fantastic!

Edited by docdix (log)

I'm a plant-rights activist... I only eat meat!

Doodad

Doodad

Posted
Posted

You put them back in the jar at the gas station and get something else. But, not the pickled eggs.

It is a rural Southern thing, but I swear I never have seen anyone buy one.

heidih

heidih

Posted
Posted

Here in Los Angeles I see big jars of them at Smart & Final which is frequented by smaller food businesses. Somebody must be eating them. If I ever see a jar in someone's cart I will be sure to ask.

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