Jokbal

Jokbal (Korean Braised Pig's Trotters)

A classic South Korean anju (drinking food) of soy-braised pig's trotters, slowly simmered until the collagen turns the broth glossy and the meat tender enough to fall off the bone. Served sliced and wrapped in lettuce with a dab of salted shrimp.

Prep

25 min

Cook

180 min

Total

205 min

Serves

4 to 6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •2 kg (4½ lb) pig's trotters, split lengthwise by the butcher, or 2 fore + 2 hind trotters
• •500 ml (2 cups) water, for the first blanching
• •60 g (½ cup) soy sauce (ganjang), Korean regular soy sauce, not light or dark only
• •30 g (¼ cup) rice wine (cheongju), mirin is the closest substitute; sake also works
• •30 g (2 tbsp) sugar, use 20 g brown + 10 g white for a darker glaze
• •15 g (1 tbsp) honey, or 1 tbsp more sugar
• •8 g (1 tbsp) minced garlic, about 3 medium cloves
• •5 g (1 tsp) minced ginger, a thumb-sized piece, finely grated
• •1 piece onion, medium, quartered; sweet onion (Maui or Vidalia) if available
• •1 piece Asian pear, quartered; or substitute with ½ Fuji apple + 1 tsp pear juice
• •5 g (1 tbsp) black peppercorns
• •2 pieces dried bay leaves
• •2 pieces star anise, home-kitchen substitute; traditional recipes often use a sachet of Chinese five-spice
• •1 g (1 small piece) cinnamon stick, about 3 cm
• •1 head garlic, halved horizontally, for the simmering broth
• •30 g (1 oz) ginger, smashed with the skin on
• •800 ml (3¼ cups) water, for braising
• •1 head lettuce, butter, Boston or red leaf; must be cold and crisp for wrapping
• •30 g (1) salted shrimp (saeu-jeot), Korean fermented tiny shrimp; substitute with a pinch of Thaikapi or just sea salt
• •10 g (2 tsp) toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
• •2 ml (½ tsp) sesame oil, for finishing, optional

Steps

1. 1 Place the trotters in a large pot, cover with 500 ml (2 cups) cold water, bring to a rolling boil and blanch for 8 minutes; this removes scum and tames the porky smell. Drain, rinse each piece under warm running water, and scrub off any dark residue or stray hairs.
2. 2 Return the blanched trotters to the clean pot. Add 800 ml (3¼ cups) water, the halved garlic head, smashed ginger, onion quarters and Asian pear. Bring to a boil, skim, then reduce to a gentle simmer, lid ajar, for 90 minutes — the meat should pull back from the bone but still hold its shape.
3. 3 Lift the trotters out and strain the broth, discarding the aromatics. Pour the strained broth back into the pot (you should have roughly 500 ml / 2 cups left; top up with water if short). Add soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, honey, minced garlic, minced ginger, peppercorns, bay leaves, star anise and cinnamon.
4. 4 Bring the seasoned broth to a boil, slide the trotters back in, and simmer uncovered at a low, steady bubble for 60–90 minutes more, turning the pieces every 20 minutes so they colour evenly. The liquid should reduce by about half and turn a deep mahogany; spoon it over the top repeatedly during the last 30 minutes to build a glossy, lacquered skin.
5. 5 Check doneness by piercing the thickest part near the bone with a skewer — it should slide in with no resistance and the meat should feel jiggly and gelatinous. Confirm the centre reads at least 77 °C / 170 °F on an instant-read thermometer for food safety.
6. 6 Remove the trotters from the pot and let them rest on a board for at least 15 minutes until cool enough to handle. The cooking liquid can be strained and reduced further to serve as a dipping sauce alongside, or chilled and used to flavour fried rice the next day.
7. 7 Using a heavy knife or cleaver, slice the trotters crosswise through the bone into roughly 5 mm (¼ in) thick pieces; arrange on a warm platter, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and drizzle with sesame oil if using.
8. 8 To eat, take a leaf of cold lettuce, lay a slice of trotter on it, add a small dab of saeu-jeot (salted shrimp) for salty umami, wrap into a bundle and eat in one bite. The crisp lettuce cuts the richness; a shot of soju alongside is the traditional finish.