Clay Pot Pig’s Trotters

Last updated 2026-11-15 — 【Clay Pot Pig’s Trotters】Clay pot dishes are cooked in earthenware clay pots. This type of pottery cookware is especially suitable for slow-cooked dishes such as stewing. In the rural areas of Shayang, almost every household owns clay pots and earthen casserole pots. During busy farming seasons, before heading out to the fields early in the morning, locals put meat, bones, or other ingredients into the clay pot, add water, cover it, and place it in the ash pit near the stove. The residual heat from the fire will cook the ingredients. When they return from the fields, they can enjoy the richly aromatic “main dish.” Especially during the cold winter months, rural families use firewood stumps and charcoal for warmth while cooking a pot of food around the fire. The whole family gathers around the fire to share a meal — truly a scene where “no matter how the clay pot bubbles and clinks, the aroma of the meat tempts even the gods,” full of the warmth of family togetherness. Clay Pot Pig’s Trotters uses pork front trotters as the main ingredient, along with seasonings. The ingredients are first stir-fried, then placed in a prepared clay pot, and slow-cooked using a specific technique. The key to making clay pot dishes is to maintain the right amount of broth. After bringing the dish to a boil over high heat, immediately reduce to low heat for prolonged cooking, keeping the surface of the broth at a gentle simmer. This method allows even tough ingredients with dense connective tissues to be tenderized — “gently breaking through with low heat” — achieving the desired texture and flavor.