Pickled Pigs Feet Recipe
This Pickled Pigs Feet recipe captures that traditional, tangy Southern-style flavor with a brine that’s bold, savory, and full of character. Slow simmering keeps the meat tender while the vinegar and spices bring balance and brightness. It’s a classic jar snack that comes together with simple ingredients, plus clear timing, cooling, and storage tips to help you get that authentic old-school bite every time.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 4 whole Pig Feet
- 2 quarts Water
- 2 cups White Vinegar
- 1 cup Red Wine Vinegar
- 2 tbsp Pickling Spice
- 1 tbsp Salt
- 1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 medium Onion sliced
- 4 cloves Garlic crushed
- 2 Bay Leaves
Instructions
- Rinse the pig feet under cold running water, scrubbing carefully to get rid of any residue or bone fragments.
- I always check between the joints; grit likes to hide there and can mess with the texture.
- Put the pig feet in a big stockpot and cover them with water.
- Bring it to a gentle boil, then drop the heat and let them simmer for about 2 hours, or until the meat pulls away from the bones easily.
- Drain the water and give the pig feet another rinse to wash off extra fat and bits.
- This rinse keeps the brine clear and the flavors a little brighter.
- In a clean pot, combine white vinegar, red wine vinegar, water, pickling spice, salt, red pepper flakes, onion, garlic, and bay leaves.
- Heat the mixture until it’s just steaming; enough to let the spices bloom but not so much that you lose that sharp vinegar edge.
- Pack the pig feet into heat-safe jars or a nonreactive container.
- Pour the hot brine over them so they’re completely covered, then let everything cool to room temp.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 days before you dig in.
- I usually wait 5 days; the vinegar soaks in deeper and the texture gets just how I like it.