Smoking pigs' feet is a grand tradition of Southern culture. Pigs' feet are made directly from fresh hog ankles and hooves. While the dish may repel some, preparing the meal follows the culinary custom of alternative Southern entrees, such as chitlins -- or pig intestines. The trick to preparing pigs' feet is to cure the bone and meat before cooking. Curing boosts the flavor of the feet before they are placed on the smoker. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Instructions
1. Rinse the feet under hot water. Scrape the feet with a knife blade and coarse brush to remove residual hair.
2. Mix the salt, sodium nitrate and cold water into a pot to make a curing brine. Submerge the feet and seal the pot. Place the pot into a room or refrigerator with a temperature maintained at 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Cure feet for five days.
3. Remove the feet and rinse with cold water. Pull the toe from the shank to prohibit skin deterioration while smoking. Apply a dry rub seasoning -- spice, jerk or cracked pepper blend -- to both sides of each foot.
4. Add charcoal to a smoker. Light and heat the smoker to a temperature of 225 to 250 F. Place the feet onto the smoker and cover. Smoke for six hours. Turn and mop the meat every 90 minutes. Brush apple juice -- the mop -- onto the surface of the feet on every turn to keep the feet sweet and moist.
Tags: cold water