Pigs' Feet in Barbecue Sauce
Source of Recipe
From "A Real Southern Cook in Her Savannah Kitchen" by Dora Charles
Recipe Introduction
"This dish is soul food for sure, and people who love it will be falling all over you with excitement when they hear you're cooking it. The barbecue sauce is sweet and spicy, and the pigs' feet are succulent, with some little bones to chew around. But not everyone has even considered eating a pig's foot, so have plenty of other food on the table if you've got some pig-foot virgins coming to dinner. You need to be very careful where you buy your pigs' feet. I get mine at an immaculate store in Savannah, and they have baby-pink skin and are really clean. Some places have good prices but the skin has browned and all the hair hasn't been removed; you don't want those at any price. Serve with rice and cooked greens on the side."
List of Ingredients
◦ 2 pounds pigs' feet (2 or 3 feet; ask the butcher to cut them crosswise in half)
◦ cup distilled white vinegar
◦ 5 cups hot water
◦ 1 tablespoon Dora's Savannah Seasoning (recipe follows)
◦ 1 teaspoon Accent (optional)
◦ medium green bell pepper, sliced thin
◦ medium onion, sliced thin
◦ 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Ultimate Barbecue Sauce:
◦ 5 cups light brown sugar
◦ 4 cups ketchup
◦ cup plus 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
◦ 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
◦ 1 lemon, rolled well on the countertop to soften and juiced
◦ 1 teaspoons Dora's Savannah Seasoning (see recipe)
◦ 1 teaspoon honey
◦ 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
◦ 2 teaspoons Texas Pete or other hot sauce
Recipe
Put the pigs' feet in a large pot and cover with cold water. Add the vinegar and set the pot to boil over high heat. When the pot boils, some scum will form on the top of the water. Put a colander in the sink and pour the water off the pigs' feet. Rinse the pigs' feet and the pot very well in hot water.
Put the feet back in the pot with the 5 cups hot water and the Savannah seasoning and Accent, if you're using it. Stir the seasoning in and bring the water to a rapid boil. Turn the heat down to a low simmer, so that just a few bubbles are coming up. Add the vegetables and Worcestershire sauce and stir well.
Now the little feet are bound for glory. Let them simmer slowly until very tender, almost falling off the bone, which can take anywhere from one to two hours.
Meantime, make the barbecue sauce:
Cook all the ingredients down in a heavy, medium pot uncovered over low heat, stirring often, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Don't let the sauce get so hot it starts to pop; it should be a gentle heat that will slowly concentrate the sauce a bit. Once it's hot, taste it (it won't taste right until it's very hot and cooked down, so be careful) and see if you need a little more of something.
A little before the pigs' feet are done, set oven to 350 F.
When the pigs' feet are done, scoop them out with a slotted spoon, along with the vegetables, into a casserole dish. Spoon 2 cups of the barbecue sauce evenly on top to glaze the pigs' feet and bake, uncovered, until the casserole is bubbly on the sides, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve right away.
Serves 4 to 6
❧ Dora's Savannah Seasoning:
"I keep this basic spicy seasoning mix in a little jar by the stovetop; I use it that often. It's good with almost everything from eggs to chicken to pork and even some vegetables, and you can save yourself a little time making it up ahead. Always taste what you're cooking once it's gone in, because you may find you need a little more of one or two elements to bring up the flavor."
◦ ⅓ cup Lawry's Seasoned Salt
◦ cup salt
◦ 2 scant tablespoons granulated garlic or garlic powder
◦ 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
In a small bowl, mix everything together very thoroughly.
Store the seasoning in a tightly sealed glass jar. It will keep for up to three months.
Makes about ⅔ cup
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