Crispy Boiled Pig Trotters

This boiled pork hock is absolutely delicious! The slices are tender and juicy, the lean meat isn't dry, and the fat isn't greasy. A subtle meaty aroma fills your mouth with every bite. Dipped in the signature sauce, whether it's the spiciness of the sand ginger or the spiciness of the wasabi, both enhance the meat's natural flavor. The thinly sliced pork is arranged in a flower shape on a plate, garnished with peanuts and cilantro—refreshing and beautiful. Whether served at a New Year's Eve dinner or as a small gathering with friends, this is a truly irresistible dish.

Ingredients

Steps

When buying pork legs, ask the butcher to singe off the hair, scrape and clean them, and debone them for you, saving you the trouble. If the butcher can't do it, treat it like boneless chicken feet: use scissors to remove the bone, then singe off any remaining hair over a low flame on a gas stove. The bone-heavy parts can be chopped off for soup.
If the thickest part of the meat in the middle is too thick when rolled up, you can trim off a little lean meat to make the finished product more uniform. Sprinkle some salt or your favorite spices on the prepared pork, roll it into a tight, round leg shape, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 4 hours to set. Marinating beforehand allows the flavors to penetrate, and tying it with string after refrigeration helps the roll retain its shape.
Wash and prepare Sichuan peppercorns, ginger slices, scallions, and white cardamom. These spices can remove fishy smells and enhance the aroma, making the meat taste more layered.
Take the shaped meat rolls out of the refrigerator, tear off the plastic wrap, and tie them tightly with cotton string to prevent them from falling apart during cooking.
Put the tied meat rolls and spices into a pot, add enough water to cover the meat rolls, bring to a boil over high heat, skim off the foam on the surface, then simmer over low heat for 45 minutes.
Skimming off the foam makes the broth clearer and prevents the meat from becoming greasy.
Rinse the cooked meat rolls with warm water and immediately immerse them in ice water to cool them down. The thermal expansion and contraction during cooling causes the meat to tighten instantly, resulting in a crisper and more chewy texture—a key step in achieving the tender and crisp texture of boiled pork hock!
After the meat rolls have been chilled in the ice bath, refrigerate them for another half hour until completely cooled before slicing. Slicing them while hot will cause them to fall apart; refrigerating them to set their shape will result in thin, intact slices that look nice.
Simply slice the meat and pair it with your own homemade dipping sauce. For example, Cantonese ginger sauce (spicy and refreshing), all-purpose onion soy sauce (mild and versatile), or appetizing mustard vinegar sauce (for those who prefer a stronger flavor) all go well. This dish is definitely a star of the New Year's Eve dinner table—homemade, it's generous in ingredients, and economical!