Pig’s trotters a la madrileña

How to make pig trotters a la Madrilenian . Winter is a time for recipes for stews , broths and stews, of that there is no doubt.

When the cold weather is cold, it is the ideal time to enjoy those spoon dishes of a lifetime, those stews that the grandmothers made and that many of us enjoy preparing. If you have landed on this recipe, you will surely be passionate about pork trotters as much as I am, so you will not say no to this recipe throughout the year.

Despite the fact that most of those prepared in the different communities of our country have the same base, each one has its own particularity. It wasn’t until I arrived in Madrid that I discovered today’s recipe, pork trotters from Madrid . Jimena’s father prepared them superbly and it was he from whom I learned how to make them.

Although in Galicia they are practically only taken as an optional part of the Galician stew , there is a neighborhood in Santiago de Compostela that makes them a party, “ a festa das uñas ” of San Lázaro, where their preparation consists of cooking them and accompanying them with turnip greens and cachelos . This was the only way I had enjoyed this delicacy, because pork trotters are a delicacy to me .

Today’s stew is an explosion of flavors, the gelatin and the cartilage of the trotters give the sauce its own texture that, in addition to the meat substance, we have complemented with some vegetables. To accompany the trotters and give more power and quality to the dish, if possible, I include the knuckle of the pork and a point of ham. I assure you that the sauce is for dipping bread and the exquisite trotters, you will tell me.

Preparation of the pig trotters

1. We clean the hands and knuckles under the tap. They usually come quite clean from the butcher shop, but it doesn’t hurt to inspect them for any hair or grease.
2. We dry the little hands with kitchen paper.
3. In a fast pot or express pot place the trotters with their knuckle, the ham tip, half an onion, 3 peeled garlic cloves, the bay leaf, the peeled and chopped tomatoes, the bunch of parsley, salt and peppercorns al taste.
4. Cover with water and put the pot to cook over low heat for 35-40 minutes. We let the pot cool down until we can open it. We remove the meat.
5. Strain the broth removing all the vegetables so that we have a clean broth.
6. We will let the meat cool before handling it.
7. In a frying pan, heat 2 or 3 tablespoons of olive oil.
8. Add the rest of the chopped onion and the garlic clove that we had reserved, diced. We braise until the vegetable begins to soften. Add the flour and sauté for 1 minute.
9. We remove the pan from the heat to add the paprika. I have used sweet paprika but you can combine sweet and spicy, it will give an interesting touch to the stew.

Cooking and final presentation of the trotters in Madrid

1. We stir well so that it integrates and we return the pan to the fire. Add the wine and let the alcohol evaporate for 2 minutes. We put out the fire and reserve.
2. With the meat already cold or warm we proceed to bone the nail. We separate the area of ​​the knuckle from the hand itself and bone the hands.
3. In a pot we incorporate the boneless meat of the trotters, the knuckles, the ham tip, the sausages and the black pudding.
4. Pour the cooking broth until it reaches a little more than half the stew. Add the onion sauce that we have reserved.
5. Cook over medium heat for 50 minutes or until we see that the trotters are done. If we see that it is necessary we add a little more broth during cooking.
6. Do not stop trying them in the cooking process, here you will give your point, even if necessary we try salt in case a little more is needed.

I assure you that it is worth the wait and the work to prepare this dish. It is one of the stews that comfort.

A yummy recipe that you will need to accompany with a good piece of bread. To be Galician to dip in the sauce.

You can see all the photos of the step by step in the next album.