Do you eat pigs feet?

[Jenise]

It has often struck me as odd that people who would put the brains, reproductive organs and poop shute of an entire animal--like a mussel, or an oyster--in their mouths without further thought turn green at the idea of eating pigs feet, simply because it's a foot, though they happily eat any other cut of pork. My husband is one of those people.

That occurred to me again this morning when I read Michael Ruhlman's post about a visit to the restaurant called The Spotted Pig: When Donna found herself in NYC at the Ace Hotel last fall, she spent a couple nights in the Breslin kitchen watching executive chef April Bloomfield, Breslin chef de cuisine Peter Cho, and crew rock. The trotter caught her eye. It’s the perfect example of why this post could be called Why April Is Not the Cruelest Month But Rather the Best Porker, or simply Why We Love April. The British chef takes a great Italian classic, a zampone, as she notes, breads it, fries it in olive oil and butter, and serves it as their “Pig’s Foot for 2.” It’s the boned out trotter, stuffed with cotechino, a pork and pig skin farce. Peter says it’s currently served with braised shallots, a garlic cream sauce, and sauteed Brussels sprouts. But that changes with the season. I’d serve it with an aggressive vinaigrette, maybe a gribiche and arugula.

Me? Oh, do I love pickled pigs feet. I grew up in Los Angeles where pickled pigs feet is a specialty of the Hispanic community. My grandmother even made her own, and she didn't otherwise do any home canning/pickling. When Grammy showed up with a gallon sized jar of them once or so a year, it was as big a treat as the speckled red tin cans of snow-white divinity and rich pralines that were her other specialties.

My experience outside of the pickled kind has been sparce, however. I recall a yummy deep fried pair of half trotters that was served to me in Germany, a delightful salad of terrined pigs foot at Bistro Jeanty in Napa (that was 15 years ago, but per a friend who dined there last month it's still on the menu), and just a few weeks ago some disappointing patties at Extra Virgin in Kansas City. The latter were disappointing because they were thin and breaded, and all you tasted was the deep fried breading. The negligible interior could have been foam padding. I was really sorry about that because Bob just about passed out when I ordered it (tapas style, we were sharing small plates), but gamely agreed to try it.

Alas, an opportunity for conversion squandered.

So where do the rest of you stand? Love them, hate them, you'd use them to impart gelatine to a stock but otherwise wouldn't eat one? Let's talk.

[Robin Garr]

Old German-American beer bars in Louisville's Germantown and Schnitzelburg neighborhoods used to keep jars of them sitting on the bar, where the barkeep would fork one out on request. They always seemed a bit too anatomical for me, although I think I remember Bob Ross having one when he and Janet and Mary and I went to Batali's Babbo a few years ago. That one was "deconstructed" into a boneless patty that didn't look anything like an animal foot, though.

In my current animal-free phase, I wouldn't eat one unless it was made out of seitan or soy.

[Frank Deis]

I've enjoyed them the few times I had them, but they aren't something I will go out of my way for. I have been trying to expand my horizons and recently I ordered a pig's ear dish at the Szechuan Chinese restaurant that I really like, I figured they could make anything taste good. Well, it tasted good but the texture was like EATING AN EAR and that was not fun at all. Tons of cartilage.

At least oysters don't have ears, or feet for that matter!!

[Carl Eppig]

It's not the pigs feet I don't like, it's the pickling. The only thing I will touch that's pickled is beets.

[Frank Deis]

Actually the topic makes me think of the famous Parisian brasserie in les Halles, Au Pied du Cochon.

We lingered out in front but decided against eating there. I'm sure the French version must be something quite good.

[Fred Sipe]

Wow... never have, might. But it certainly wouldn't be something out of a jar from the grocery store. The thought makes me shudder. If it were offered I'd certainly have a taste.

I have had "Kocsonya," which sounded to me like "cuchinina" when I tried it. It is Hungarian jellied pig's feet. I'd try a bite or three again but wouldn't make it or seek it out.

[Mike Filigenzi]

I've never had pig's feet but they don't gross me out in the least. I'd eat them.

[Cynthia Wenslow]

Nope, not my thing. I am quite fussy about my meat products. (Which is why it's mainly no great hardship to maintain a vegetarian household. )

[alex metags]

Sure. Have had some tasty braised pig's feet dishes in Hong Kong and San Francisco. Once tried pig's feet cooked with ginger and vinegar at a Cantonese friend's home, though I was told this dish is traditionally served to women who have recently given birth.

[Christina Georgina]

ALWAYS when I have the chance. I like to add feet to ragu for pasta sauce and when making bean soup. It creates a certain mouth feel and texture that I like for certain dishes. Great in pate/terrine preps after savory braising and deboning. Essential for head cheese when it's hard to find ears and necessary parts with skin. I never pass up fresh split feet and usually have a half foot frozen at any given time.

[Mark Lipton]

So where do the rest of you stand? Love them, hate them, you'd use them to impart gelatine to a stock but otherwise wouldn't eat one? Let's talk.

Having been raised in a household where beef tongue and liver were commonplace items, I have no great problem with most offal. I recall having pickled pig's feet in LA on a couple of occasions, but never when particularly sober. On this subject, though, where do people stand on the issue of chicken feet, often found in dim sum parlors?

Mark Lipton

[Robin Garr]

where do people stand on the issue of chicken feet, often found in dim sum parlors?

I don't know if Jade Palace here in Louisville is typical, but its chicken feet are actually just vehicles for the spicy breading that coats the fried foot. Chew off the breading, leave the foot.

Not really all that appealing, but sure, I tried it just so I could say I did.

[Frank Deis]

Mark, I was thinking about chicken feet. I have already said, here, that they are an amazing addition when making chicken broth.

But I have really never enjoyed them in Dim Sum. Locally, there is no breading, just the gluey flesh and the cartilaginous bones.

I'm afraid that for me it's an "ugh!!"

[Jeff Grossman/NYC]

I've got no problem eating pigs' feet or chicken feet but they're not my favorite things. Not really enough there to munch on.

[Matilda L]

My father used to enjoy pigs' trotters and I remember eating them with him when I was a child. They're not something I'd seek out now. Doesn't gross me out but there are other things I'd rather eat.

I'll content myself with aural pig feet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhfPP-YUEMQ

[Drew Hall]

After having spent a few years as a police officer in the worst section of Baltimore, Western District, and watching the locals chow down on the nasty looking pickled pigs feet that they purchased from the nasty looking jars in those nasty looking businesses there's NO WAY that even a toe would get by my lips!...of course pigs don't have toes so you get the picture.

[Mike Filigenzi]

I've had chicken feet a couple of times. Whatever they used to flavor them worked great - they were quite tasty. Not much fun to eat, though, given the texture. I would eat one again if it were put in front of me but I wouldn't go out of my way for them.

[Frank Deis]

My father used to enjoy pigs' trotters and I remember eating them with him when I was a child. They're not something I'd seek out now. Doesn't gross me out but there are other things I'd rather eat.

I'll content myself with aural pig feet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhfPP-YUEMQ

I suppose that down in Oz, you appreciate what those old blues songs meant by "jelly roll" or "pig foot"?

[Jo Ann Henderson]

I've grown up around pigs feet. Half the family loves them and the other half won't touch them. Place me in the other half. The only thing I have against them is how gelatenous and gristly they can be. Don't like eating anything of that quality. But, I do like what they do when making stock tho!

[Bill Spohn]

Funny, I always start with the other end (ears) and am too full before I ever get to the feet.....

They are OK, but not something I'd seek out (do not like the pickled sort, though). BTW, you describe sauce gribiche as aggressive and I wouldn't have normally considered it as such. But then I do Dijon mustard vinaigrettes all the time and see nothing aggressive about them either. Wouldn't think gribiche is your cuppa tea, BTW, as it is really just a mayo based relish sauce.

[Matilda L]

Frank says:
i suppose that down in Oz, you appreciate what those old blues songs meant by "jelly roll" or "pig foot"?

Speaking as a follower of blues bands, and occasional singer of blues myself, yes. Blues is a universal language.

[Jenise]

BTW, you describe sauce gribiche as aggressive and I wouldn't have normally considered it as such. But then I do Dijon mustard vinaigrettes all the time and see nothing aggressive about them either. Wouldn't think gribiche is your cuppa tea, BTW, as it is really just a mayo based relish sauce.

Note that part of my post was in Italics, attempting to indicate that it was a direct quote from Ruhlman's blog and not my own opinion. I just loved the description and thought wow, I would order that! But re you and this kind of food, I would expect you to object more to the vinegar than the hoof. You might occasionally eat a cornichon but I don't have the impression you seek out pickled food (the way I do).

[Jenise]

I recall having pickled pig's feet in LA on a couple of occasions, but never when particularly sober.

Best line in this whole thread. Ditto, menudo?

[Mark Lipton]

I recall having pickled pig's feet in LA on a couple of occasions, but never when particularly sober.

Best line in this whole thread. Ditto, menudo?

Most that I knew reserved menudo for the morning after. A well-made menudo is a comforting breakfast food.

Mark Lipton