Saus – Sao – Pickled Pig’s Trotters

Every Friday would usually be “Carry Out Friday” and even more when it was payday Friday.  Mom likes to rest from cooking on weekend evenings so whenever she and my Dad would come back from work they would stop by the “Lady on the Corner” and buy Lomo Guisado w/ Frijolitos & Rice and a delish Mustard Potato Salad, (mom always hates it when the lady runs out of Lomo & Potato Salad, and sells instead Pollo Guisado and Elbow Pasta Salad (ensalada de coditos), me too!

The “Sao” always cheap, she sells them in little ziplocs, and trust me not as fancy as the one I ‘m showing on this picture haha!  Always hoping it will be properly cleaned, not in the sense of hygiene per se, but presentation wise, we already trust this lady’s food.

I have noticed while shopping for Pig’s Feet in DC area or NoVa grocery stores, the feet always look very clean, no hair, no weird smell or anything so that’s pretty amazing for such an not popular item.  I recommend, unless you have an amazing butcher’s knife, to buy them aready cut in pieces, not like the one I have on this package, since it was almost impossible to cut it.  I tried a different presentation, you let me know if it makes a difference to you at all.

A couple of weeks ago I shared this dish with many friends and the Panamanian Dinner I gave to Chowhound Friends, some loved them, some didn’t care for it, and some felt just too grossed, so that means for us Pig’s Trotter lovers that there will be more!

For those who want to make this at home, give it a try, it’s amazing to serve as an appetizer on a hot day!  With a cold beer or like my dad likes it a very cold Rum & Orange Juice!

Ingredients (Serves 6 people, small portions)

Prep-Time 1 hour  – Overall time 3 hours (1 week in the fridge should be ok).

1.5-2 lbs Pig’s Feet

juice of 10-14 limes

1 10″ cucumber + 1 small cucumber (sliced, remove seeds and peel)

1 medium white onion

1 scotch bonnet pepper or a thai pepper

Salt & Pepper

White vinegar

Water

Directions

1.  Place a big Pot with water & salt with the feet already in, bring it to a boil and cook until tender, 30-60 mins.

2. Chop onions thin or like sticks, whatever you prefer, toss salt, sliced small cucumber, lime juice and adjust with water and vinegar to your taste, add the thinly sliced pepper, use half of it if you are not used to hot peppers. And please wear gloves and wash the chopping board and knives onces you are done with it. Read NOTE

3. Marinate them covered with plastic wrap inside the fridge until the Pig is ready.

4.  Once your pig is soft take it out of the pot, place it in a bowl and pour all the liquid you have the cucumbers & onions together.  Wait until it cools off, and marinate covered in fridge 2 hours- 3 days.

5.  When ready to serve, discard the cucumbers and add the other sliced ones so they can marinate a little before serving without being soggy and still with a crisp to it.  You could serve it room temperature or cold, I like it both ways!

This is how we eat it in my house! But if you want to make it “friendlier” looking check the picture under this one…

Slice the Sao and serve it with some juice, cucumbers & onions, so your guests never see the bone, though they are missing all the juiciness!

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Suggestion, serve this with Patacones (double fried Smashed Green Plantains) or anything that comes in mind that’s warm to make contrast with this great dish.

NOTE. I found out i’m a little allergic to hot peppers and several times I’ve hurt with myself using them, even jalapeños!)  If you get in contact with the pepper and your skin starts burning put very cold milk or sour cream and it will help, that’s what I did, took a benadryl so I could sleep, yes it was that bad.

¡a comer!

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