How to make pork aspic for the Christmas dinner

Pork aspic is a traditional dish usually served at holidays. They are most commonly eaten at Christmas and New Year’s Eve, because most people sacrifice a pig in early December.

It is a simple dish to make, but people usually dread it because the cooking time is around 4 hours. It may take long, but only because the ingredients need to be boiled for a significant amount of time.

We will show you every step of this uncomplicated process.

For an amount that will serve 4 people, you will need the following ingredients: an onion, 2 carrots, a parsnip, 4 pig legs, a pinch of pepper, a pinch of salt, and a few cloves of garlic.

First you need to wash the pig legs very well and put them whole in a pot to boil together with the carrots, parsnip, pepper and salt. The water should cover the ingredients by 7 or 8 centimeters.

You should cover the pot partially with a lid and leave everything to simmer until the meat falls off the bone. Every once in a while, collect the foam that forms at the surface of the water!

When the meat easily comes off the bones and the water is sticky, take the pot off the heat. Take the meat and vegetables out onto a plate. Let the water cool for a bit, then add the garlic, stir it and let it sit for a few more minutes.

When the meat and vegetables have cooled, cut them into pieces and put them in bowls. Poor the water onto the meat! Now all that’s left is to put the aspic in the refrigerator until the water jellifies.  

When the jelly is hard enough, you can serve it, preferably with polenta.

Enjoy!

Sources:

“Răcitura de porc”, Rețeta perfecta, December 12th 2012, Available at: http://www.retetaperfecta.ro/racitura-de-porc-730, Accessed: 12.10.2015.

“Răcitură de porc (piftie)”, Bărbat la cratiță, Available at: http://www.barbatlacratita.ro/2014/11/racitura-de-porc.html, Accessed: 12.10.2015.