Braised Pig Trotters in Red Vinegar

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A beloved Cantonese home-style stew of tender pig trotters slowly simmered with abundant young ginger, rock sugar, and aged black vinegar until the sauce turns a glossy deep mahogany. Slightly sweet, tangy, and warming, it is traditionally enjoyed across Guangdong and Hong Kong as a nourishing one-pot meal.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 520 kcalCalories
• 32 gFat
• 11 gSaturated Fat
• 26 gCarbs
• 1 gFiber
• 22 gSugar
• 28 gProtein
• 640 mgSodium
• 380 mgPotassium
• 75 mgCalcium
• 2.5 mgIron
• 4 mgVitamin C
• 30 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the trotters

• 2 lb (900 g) pig front trotters, chopped into 2-inch pieces by the butcher
• 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 tbsp sliced ginger, smashed
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 6 cups water (for blanching)

For the ginger-vinegar braise

• 300 g (about 10 oz) fresh young ginger, peeled and thickly smashed
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 cup (240 ml) Zhenjiang black vinegar
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) sweet rice vinegar
• 150 g rock sugar, lightly crushed
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 star anise pods
• 1 cinnamon stick (3 inches)

For the eggs and garnish

• 4 large eggs, hard-boiled and peeled
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground white pepper

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil with the Shaoxing wine, smashed ginger, and salt. Add the trotter pieces and blanch for 5 minutes to draw out impurities; drain, rinse under cold water, and pat dry.
2. In a heavy clay pot or Dutch oven, heat the neutral oil over medium heat. Add the 300 g of smashed ginger and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until fragrant and lightly caramelized at the edges, taking care not to burn.
3. Add the crushed rock sugar to the ginger and stir until it begins to melt and turn amber, about 2 minutes. Pour in both vinegars, the soy sauce, star anise, cinnamon, and 2 cups of water; bring to a gentle boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
4. Return the blanched trotters to the pot, bring the liquid back to a boil, then reduce the heat to the lowest simmer. Cover and braise for 75 minutes, turning the trotters every 20 minutes, until the meat is fork-tender and pulling cleanly from the bone.
5. Add the peeled hard-boiled eggs to the pot during the last 25 minutes of braising so they absorb the tangy-sweet flavor and turn a deep mahogany color throughout.
6. Remove the lid, increase the heat to medium, and simmer for 10-15 minutes to reduce the sauce until it is glossy, syrupy, and coats the back of a spoon. Stir in the sesame oil and white pepper.
7. Discard the star anise and cinnamon stick. Let the stew rest off the heat for 10 minutes so the collagen sets slightly, then ladle the trotters, eggs, and reduced vinegar sauce into shallow bowls and scatter with sliced scallions.
8. Serve hot with steamed white rice or Chinese crullers (youtiao) for dipping, and present the stained eggs alongside the meat for the most traditional Cantonese presentation.

Cook’s Notes

• Use front (foreleg) trotters rather than hind legs — they are smaller, more gelatinous, and absorb the vinegar more readily.
• Do not skip the lengthy blanching step; it removes the strong porky odor and any loose bone fragments, leaving a clean-tasting braise.
• The dish tastes even better the next day once the vinegar has fully penetrated the meat, so make it a day ahead if time allows.
• If the sauce becomes too sharp during the final reduction, balance it with a splash of water and a pinch more rock sugar rather than adding more vinegar.
• For deeper color and a rounder aroma, traditional Cantonese cooks stir in 1 tbsp sweet rice wine (meijiu) just before turning off the heat.

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