Slow-Cooked Pork Trotters Recipe in a CrockPot

Ingredients

• 4 fresh pork trotters (fresh pork trotters, cut into halves or quarters)
• 1 tallo celery (celery stalk, sliced)
• 1 leek (leek, sliced)
• 2 dientes garlic (peeled)
• 10 black peppercorns (whole peppercorns)
• 0.5 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp salt (dessert spoon size)
• water (enough to cover the trotters in the pot)
• 1 onion (finely chopped)
• 3 dientes garlic (peeled and finely chopped)
• 500 g ripe tomatoes (ripe tomatoes, finely chopped or diced)
• 1 hoja bay leaf (bay leaf)
• 1 tsp rosemary (dried spice)
• 50 ml white wine (optional)
• EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) (extra virgin olive oil for sautéing)

Steps

1. 1

   Clean the pork trotters thoroughly, removing any remaining hair or debris from the skin. Wash them well even if they appear clean from the store.

2. 2

   Place the sliced leek and celery in the bottom of the CrockPot to form a bed.

3. 3

   Arrange the pork trotters on top of the vegetables so they are securely positioned and won't break apart during cooking.

4. 4

   Add the 2 peeled garlic cloves, whole peppercorns, thyme, and salt to the pot.

5. 5

   Cover the ingredients completely with water.

6. 6

   Set the CrockPot to Low and cook for 7 hours.

7. 7

   Once cooked, carefully remove the trotters from the pot and set them aside.

8. 8

   Strain the cooking liquid through a sieve and reserve it. This collagen-rich broth can be used for the sauce and the remainder stored for other uses.

9. 9

   In a large casserole dish or pan, heat a splash of olive oil over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion, 3 chopped garlic cloves, and the bay leaf.

10. 10

    Sauté the aromatics, stirring frequently to prevent burning, until the onion becomes translucent and soft.

11. 11

    Add the chopped tomatoes to the pan. Cook until they begin to break down; you can mash them with a spoon to create a smoother sauce consistency.

12. 12

    Season the tomato mixture with salt, pepper, and the rosemary.

13. 13

    Cover and simmer the sauce over low heat for approximately 20 minutes.

14. 14

    If using wine, pour in the 50ml of white wine, increase the heat, and leave uncovered for 2 minutes to allow the alcohol to evaporate.

15. 15

    Carefully place the cooked trotters into the sauce. Add enough of the reserved cooking broth until the trotters are half-covered.

16. 16

    Gently swirl the pan in circular motions to integrate the sauce. Cover and cook over medium-low heat (about 4 out of 10) for another 20 minutes to let the flavors meld.

17. 17

    Serve hot, ideally accompanied by a Spanish omelet (tortilla de patatas) or white rice.

Notes

The leftover cooking broth is very rich in collagen and minerals; it can be frozen in small portions or kept in a glass jar in the refrigerator for future stews. Ensure the trotters are handled gently after slow cooking as they become very tender and can fall apart.

Nutrition per serving

• main dish
• slow cooker
• crockpot
• pork
• traditional
• Spanish
• high collagen