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Crubeens
Cruibíní: slow-cooked, crisped pig's trotters
IrishCrubeens are boiled pig's trotters, once sold hot from stalls at fairs and in Cork and Dublin pubs as a salty, sticky snack to go with a pint. They are pork, and very gelatinous: simmered for hours until the meat almost falls from the bone, then crisped in the oven with a mustard and breadcrumb coating, which is how many cooks finish them today. Eat them with your fingers, with brown bread and pickles. Chef's tip: ask your butcher for split, cleaned trotters, and singe off any stray hairs with a kitchen blowtorch before cooking.
- Total time
- 220 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
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Fresh ingredients (4)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Rinse the 4 pig's trotters, split and cleaned, put them in a large pot with the 1 onion, 1 carrot, 1 celery stick, 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp black peppercorns and 2 tbsp cider vinegar, and cover with cold water.
10 minStep 2: Bring to the boil, skim off the grey foam, then simmer very gently, partly covered, for 3 hours, until the meat is meltingly soft and pulls from the bone.
180 minStep 3: Lift them out carefully onto a lined tray; they are fragile. Pat dry and leave to cool for 10 minutes. Heat the oven to 425°F (400°F fan).
10 minStep 4: Brush the skin side with 2 tbsp English mustard and press on the 2 ⅛ oz dry breadcrumbs mixed with 2 tbsp parsley. A common mistake is skipping the drying, which makes the coating slide off.
5 minStep 5: Roast for 15–20 minutes, until the crumbs are crisp and golden and the trotters are piping hot right through. Serve hot.
20 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 32 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does crubeens take?
- About 220 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 200 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of carrot?
- Parsnip or sweet potato, same weight.
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