Dish of Pork Hocks with Vinegar
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Pork Hocks with Vinegar


Philippines   -   Paksiw na Pata
Serves:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 3 main
***
2 hrs
Yes		 A sort of sweet and sour stew with a wide range of textures. A fine dish for all who appreciate the unique characteristics of this choice cut.

2
----
2
5
1/3
3
2/3
2
1/3
1
1/4
6
ar
----
1/4
7
#
---
cl
oz
c
T
t
T
t

t


---
c
oz
Pork Hocks (1)
-- Pickle
Garlic
Banana Blossom (2)  
Vinegar (3)
Soy Sauce
Salt
Sugar (4)
Peppercorns
Bay Leaf
Oregano, dry
Cloves
Water
--------
Oil
Plantain (5)

The skins are soft and gelatinous, the tendons firm and gelatinous, the meat firm and solid, the bones rock hard, and the plantains tender and sweet.

Prep   -   (20 min)
  1. Cut PORK HOCKS into fairly large chunks. I usually just cut them in quarters through the bone using a sharp Chinese cleaver knife driven by a soft faced mallet. I usually par boil and rinse, but Filipinos don't bother.
  2. Crush GARLIC with the side of your prep knife.
  3. If using BANANA BLOSSOM, peel off the tough red bracts and their associated flowers. When you're down to the brittle yellow bracts, slice the banana blossom crosswise about 3/8 inches wide. Plunge immediately into cold water acidulated with citric acid or lemon juice to prevent browning.
RUN   -   (1-1/2 hr)
  1. Put Pork Hocks and All Pickle items in a stew pot, bring to a boil and simmer for 1-1/2 hours.
  2. Peel PLANTAIN and slice into rounds about 3/8 inches thick. In a skillet fry on both sides until golden. Drain on paper towels.
  3. With 10 minutes cooking time to go, stir the Plantain slices into the pot.
  4. Serve with plenty of steamed Jasmine rice.
NOTES:

  1. Pork Hocks:

      Fresh pork hocks are easily available in meat markets serving an East or Southeast Asian or Mexican community. If you buy whole hocks, have the meat man bandsaw them crosswise to about 1 inch thick. For details see our Pork Hocks / Ham Hocks page.

  2. Banana Blossom:

      5 ounces is a little less than what you'll get from a 1 pound blossom after peeling the outer layers. For details see our Banana Blossom page. This item can be replaced with slivered Bamboo Shoots, which are less bitter.

  3. Vinegar:

      Preferable use one of the fine Philippine cane or palm vinegars, but lacking those, cider vinegar will serve. For details see our Sours page.

  4. Sugar:

      Use Palm Sugar if you have it, or a semi-refined sugar like turbinado.

  5. Plantain:

      Weight is before peeling. The Plantain should be greenish yellow with no blackening. For details see our Plantain page.
  6. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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