| I believe charcuterie was invented to find a (delicious) use for these minor cuts, including the oink, which is used for head cheese, not just to preserve meat. I found cheap fresh pig's feet the other day (I doubt you could find expensive ones anyway, even these ones which were from a local organic farmer), I cooked them long and slow in a stew with a brined hock and mostly root vegetables, this was so good. The fun part is that the remaining cold stew congealed in the pot: You could turn it over and it wouldn't fall down. Once heated however, the gelatin gives an unctuous feel, basically just like using delicious fat, without the fat. |