Pigs Feet

Pickled pigs feet are a food preparation associated with soul food and Southern country, cuisine, as well as Irish cuisine.In this preparation, the feet of hogs are salted and smoked in the same manner as other pork cuts, such as hams and bacon, can be prepared. They are then placed in jars and covered with a solution of hot brine containing vinegar, much in the manner of pickled vegetables such as cucumbers. This method allows them to be preserved without any need for refrigeration until the jar is opened.Pickled pigs feet are usually consumed as something of a snack or a delicacy rather than as the primary focus of a meal as its meat course, although this is not a universal rule. If proper refrigeration is available, any unused portion can be kept in the jar for several days after it is opened.Although long available commercially, particularly in grocery stores catering to consumers who are likely to have a preference for them, it seems that consumption of this product has declined in recent years due to changing tastes, health concerns, and the ready availability of other snacks. Purists have always preferred those which were "put up" as the result of the home butchering of hogs in any event. To the uninitiated, the somewhat gelatinous nature of the product can be rather off-putting.