Braised Stuffed Pig Feet Provençal Style

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A rustic Marseille classic, pig feet are deboned, stuffed with a herbed pork farce, then slow-braised in white wine and tomatoes until the gelatinous meat turns meltingly tender. The rich, glossy sauce is the essence of Provençal home cooking.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 610 kcalCalories
• 38 gFat
• 13 gSaturated Fat
• 17 gCarbs
• 3 gFiber
• 7 gSugar
• 42 gProtein
• 720 mgSodium
• 780 mgPotassium
• 110 mgCalcium
• 4 mgIron
• 15 mgVitamin C
• 180 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the herbed pork stuffing

• 300 g ground pork (or half pork, half veal)
• 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs soaked in 1/2 cup whole milk, squeezed dry
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 5 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

For the pig feet and braise

• 4 whole pig feet, cleaned, split, and deboned by the butcher (reserve the bones)
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 carrots, finely diced
• 2 celery stalks, finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 can (400 g) crushed San Marzano tomatoes
• 2 cups homemade chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 strip lemon peel
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Chopped parsley, to finish

Directions

1. Ask your butcher to clean, split lengthwise, and debone the pig feet while keeping the skin intact; reserve the bones for the braise. Pat the feet dry and season lightly inside with salt and pepper.
2. Make the stuffing: in a large bowl combine the ground pork, squeezed breadcrumbs, eggs, minced garlic, parsley, thyme, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Mix by hand until uniform and slightly sticky.
3. Lay each pig foot skin-side down. Mound about 1/3 cup of stuffing along the center, fold the sides over to enclose the filling, then roll tightly into a cylinder. Tie at 1-inch intervals with kitchen twine to secure.
4. Heat the olive oil in a wide Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the reserved bones and brown for 3 minutes to build flavor. Remove and set aside. Brown the stuffed pig feet on all sides until deeply golden, 8-10 minutes total; transfer to a plate.
5. Lower the heat to medium. Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the pot and cook, stirring, until softened and lightly caramelized, about 7 minutes. Add the smashed garlic and tomato paste; cook 2 minutes until brick-red and fragrant.
6. Pour in the white wine and scrape up every brown bit from the bottom of the pot. Simmer for 3 minutes, then add the crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, bay leaf, thyme sprigs, lemon peel, and the browned bones. Return the stuffed feet and any accumulated juices to the pot.
7. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and braise over low heat for 2 hours and 30 minutes, turning the feet halfway through, until the skin is fork-tender and the collagen has fully melted into the sauce.
8. Carefully lift the stuffed feet onto a warm platter and tent with foil. Strain the braising liquid through a fine sieve, discarding solids, then return it to the pot and reduce over high heat for 6-8 minutes until silky and spoon-coating; season to taste.
9. Snip off the twine, slice each roll into 2 thick rounds, and arrange on warmed plates. Spoon the glossy reduced sauce over the top, scatter with chopped parsley, and serve immediately with boiled new potatoes or crusty bread.

Cook’s Notes

• Ask the butcher a day ahead to clean, split, and bone the feet while keeping the skin whole—reserve every scrap of bone for the braise.
• Squeeze the milk firmly from the breadcrumbs so the farce binds tightly and does not weep during the long braise.
• Tie the rolls snugly; loose twine lets the stuffing escape into the sauce.
• For an authentic Marseille twist, add a 2-tablespoon splash of pastis to the braise alongside the wine.
• Leftover sauce is incredible tossed with fresh pasta or spooned over soft polenta the next day.

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