Pigging Out: Try the pig feet souse recipe!
They are killing a pig in the village. People are appearing from alleys and byways carrying bowls of every size and colour. They converge in the center of the village where some are already shouting their orders to the butcher. Every part of this pig will become delicious food.
THE BLOOD
The blood is collected and cooked in tall tin cans mostly by the men. It is stirred constantly and salted sufficiently to prevent curdling and lumping. This thick, spicy, flavourful stew is complete with sweet potatoes, yams and dumplings.
THE MEAT
It’s the late 1950’s so refrigeration is for a privileged few. This means that most of the villagers will ‘corn’ the meat they are taking home. To do this, they lay it flat on a surface, where it is thoroughly salted and peppered. After two days or so the meat is strung and hung on nails around the house or yard. Huge amounts of salt protects it from decay. This ‘corning’ process lasts for two to three weeks. Families will use this ‘corned pork’ in many dishes for weeks to come.
THE INTESTINES
The Rice Pudding Lady has already negotiated the intestines, as well as some of the blood. She will clean the intestines with lime juice, vinegar and salt. Rice and the blood will be blended with spices and seasonings, and the flavour-rich filling will be stuffed into the waiting intestines. The ends are tied to secure the filling while it is cooked. When it cools, its brushed with oil. This is Rice Pudding.
On Saturday morning, there will be long lines as people queue to buy this delicacy.
Islanders can still be found on any given Saturday morning, flocking to their favourite Rice Pudding spot.
THE FEET AND HEAD
The feet and head fetch the lowest price.
Most times, these parts of the pig are even given away to friends of the butcher. But there is great disparity between cost and value here, because it is these almost discarded parts of the pig that are cooked, then marinated in a tasty pickle of lime, salt, onions and fresh herbs. The resulting SOUSE will either be a special eat on Saturday or is saved for the big confirmation party planned for Sunday afternoon.
Souse is still a Saturday morning favourite and a must have at house parties. There are slight variations in the recipes, but the basic pickling method comes through in all preparations across the islands. This is one example of how Caribbean people are different in their sameness.
When I shared my souse recipe with a group of cooking friends from the Virgin Islands, I learnt that their side dish of choice is potato salad, as it is also in Trinidad. In Barbados, this Saturday special is paired with pudding (sweet potatoes steamed with herbs and seasonings). In the Bahamas, they eat it with cassava and their version of Johnny cake. And in places like Antigua we simply dunk fresh bread or fried bakes into the pickled liquid and slurp up the deliciousness.
I am sharing my souse recipe. It is simple and the ingredients are easy to find. You can go where you want with this. Extra lime juice if you prefer. More or less onions. More of your favorite herbs. However you like it.
Prepare and share!
PIG FEET SOUSE RECIPE
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 lbs of pig feet
FOR PICKLING:
- 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 head of thyme, whole sprigs
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- A handful of season peppers, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon of coarse ground black pepper
- ¼ cup of freshly squeezed lime juice
- 4 cups of boiling water
INSTRUCTIONS
Boil the pig feet for about 45 minutes. This is to get rid of excess fat and sediments. Throw off the water and wash the meat thoroughly.
Return the pig feet to the fire with enough salted water to cover. I also add extra herbs, onions and garlic at this point to ensure that the meat is well seasoned. (You can just boil in salted water if you’d like.) Boil over medium heat for approx. an hour and a half (1 hour in a pressure cooker) — it’s always best to check for tenderness because everyone’s equipment cooks at different speeds.
In the meantime, prepare your seasonings for the pickle (herbs, onions, etc.) by thinly slicing the onions and seasoned peppers and chopping the herbs. Place them in a large bowl.
When the meat is tender remove from heat.
Add the 4 cups of boiling water to the bowl with your freshly prepared seasonings. DO NOT BOIL THEM IN THE POT. They should be crunchy in your souse.
Add salt, black pepper, and lime juice to the bowl of liquid and seasonings.
Sometimes, I also add 1 cup of the seasoned liquid that the meat was cooked in. I do this to add some depth to the flavor but if you prefer your liquid to be real clear and less cloudy skip this step. Always adjust salt and lime juice to taste.
Place the pig feet into the liquid and add hot pepper to taste. Let stand for at least 45 minutes to pickle. Either serve hot or at room temperature.
Top with slices of cucumber.
Let’s do this!!
