In Canada, if you are French Canadian, you have probably celebrated the holidays with a Ragoût de Pattes de Cochon which is stewed pig’s feet.
Everyone around the world has their own family traditions that might include holiday-themed decorations, pajamas and even the food they serve. You may be familiar with some other cultural traditions and may have even celebrated some with friends. In Israel they have Shabbot, in China, they celebrate with Dim Sum, Japan has Bento-style meals, Communal meals in France. French Canadian food traditions include a pig’s feet stew!
If you have ever had a pot luck dinner then you must have tried foods that you are unfamiliar with and may have even enjoyed it so much you want to try it out on your family to add an additional food item to your traditions.
Traditional French Canadian Foods
Quebec has quite a few delicious foods. We are all familiar with Poutine which has been a hit for years and the love of it has spread across the nation. You may have heard of some of the traditional foods, but maybe just not in the native tongue. Here is a list of 7 Traditional French Canadian foods to try out.
- Sugar Pie (tarte au sucre)
- Poor Man’s Pudding (pouding chômeur)
- Cretons
- Meatball Stew (ragoût de boulettes)
- Meat Pie (tourtière ou paté à la viande)
- Pea Soup (soup aux pois)
- Baked Beans (fèves au lard)
You may be more familiar with these foods from the English name and maybe already have some of them with your holiday meals.
How to make pig’s feet stew
If you plan on making Stewed Pig’s Feet then you will need a few hours. It is not a recipe that you can make last minute. There is a bit of prep work before you can even start cooking and that will take about an hour. Once you are ready to start cooking, it will be another 2 or so more hours until you are ready to sit down and eat.
French Canadian Ragoût de Pattes de Cochon Recipe (Stewed Pig’s Feet)
The Ragoût de Pattes de Cochon (Stewed Pig’s Feet) is a traditional French Canadian food served with a delicious carved turkey and meat pies at Christmas for dinner. The meat is so tender! I will sometimes also add it to the French Canadian meatball stew rather than serving it on it’s own. It is definitely a favourite holiday meal at our house.
French Canadian Ragoût de Pattes de Cochon Ingredients
- 2 lbs of pork hocks (pig’s feet- about 10-12)
- 1 tsp of Kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp of pepper
- 1/2 tsp of cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp of ground cloves
- 1/4 tps of nutmeg
- 2 tbs of vegetable oil
- 2 1/4 cups of lukewarm water
- 1 cup of grilled onions ( 1 cup of minced onions with 1 tbs of vegetable oil)
- 8 tbs of browned flour (a sand colour- if you leave it longer to cook, it will give you a darker gravy)
- 1 cup of lukewarm water
How To Make the French Canadian Ragoût de Pattes de Cochon
1. Take the pork’s feet and cut the skin from top to bottom with a kitchen scissor. Remove the meat from the feet with a knife and put in a medium bowl. Add salt, cinnamon, ground cloves and nutmeg, and mix.
2. In a large saucepan over medium heat add oil. When oil is hot, add pork feet mixture, and cook until they meat is a dark brown colour.
3. In a skillet at medium heat, add 1 tbs of vegetable oil. When oil is hot, add 1 cup of onions and cook until they are grilled- slightly brown. When the meat is nicely grilled, add the lukewarm water and roasted onions.
4. Cover and let cook at low for about 2 hours.
5. In a jar (Mason), add 1 cup of water and the browned flour. Close lid and shake until it’s mixed.
6. Pour in the stew, stir regularly until the gravy has thicken (15 -30 minutes). If you find the gravy is not thick enough, add 4 more tablespoon of brown flour with 1/2 cup of warm water. Repeat as necessary.
I hope you enjoyed the French Canadian Ragoût de Pattes de Cochon Recipe (Stewed Pig’s Feet). If you make it, make sure to share with us on Facebook or Twitter! Also, check out all of our other Recipes.
Do you have favourite traditional French Canadian food recipes you make at Christmas? Share below!
French Canadian “Ragoût de Pattes de Cochon” (Stewed Pig’s Feet) Recipe
Equipment
- frying pat
- Large pot
- Mason Jar
- kitchen scissors
Ingredients
- 2 lbs pork hocks pig’s feet- about 10-12
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 1/4 cups lukewarm water
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 cup grilled onions 1 cup of minced onions
- 8 tbs browned flour a sand colour- if you leave it longer to cook, it will give you a darker gravy
- 1 cup lukewarm water
Instructions
- Take the pork’s feet and cut the skin from top to bottom with a kitchen scissor. Remove the meat from the feet with a knife and put in a medium bowl.
- Add salt, cinnamon, ground cloves and nutmeg, and mix.
- In a large saucepan over medium heat add oil. When oil is hot, add pork feet mixture, and cook until they meat is a dark brown colour.
- In a skillet at medium heat, add 1 tbs of vegetable oil. When oil is hot, add 1 cup of onions and cook until they are grilled- slightly brown.
- When the meat is nicely grilled, add the lukewarm water and roasted onions.
- Cover and let cook at low for about 2 hours.
- In a jar (Mason), add 1 cup of water and the browned flour. Close lid and shake until it’s mixed.
- Pour in the stew, stir regularly until the gravy has thicken (15 -30 minutes). If you find the gravy is not thick enough, add 4 more tablespoon of brown flour with 1/2 cup of warm water. Repeat as necessary.
Thanks for the recipe,bit different than the one I use
This sounds delicious! I love Pigs feet
Have to admit the words pigs feet at first did not do much for me, but I after reading the recipe, I might consider trying it.
The meat is so tender! Let me know how you like it if you make it. Thanks for commenting.
I can’t say I’d ever eat this but my dad would absolutely love it.
Je fais toujours un ragoût de pattes et boulettes le 24 décembre. Aujourd’hui j’ai pas trouvé de pattes de cochon au Métro. Toi tu as trouvé ou?
Chez Sobey’s- appelle avant.
Bob vient de me texter qu’après avoir été chez Farm Boy, Métro une 2ième fois aujourd’hui, il en a finalement trouvé au Sobey’s. Pas drôle de faire 3 épiceries pour cela. Donc demain je fais les pattes et je fais les boulettes le 24.
Tu vas être occupé et ca va sentir bon chez vous!
Knowing that this is pigs feet would prevent me even trying this! My daughter would probably love it – she eats things like 100 yr old eggs (that’s their name!). They are black in colour and it’s a fertilised egg. I saw her eat one and nearly puked on seeing the little beak.
I have often seen pigs feet in Farm Boy and wondered “what on earth do you do with those?” Now I know! I really enjoy reading these recipes you have posted recently. Thanks!
Thanks for reading them and for commenting!
I grew up in Quebec but never indulged in this interesting delicacy. I think I will pass :).
Im slightly intrigued by this recipe. Im not sure if ill try it though..
It is so delicious!
This actually looks pretty good. Guess I’ll be buying some pork hocks!
Salted pork hocks are my favorite,but would love to give this a try
I have never tried salted pork hocks, they must be delicious!
You just have to try them,so delicious!
I love pigs feet, especially pickled pigs feet!! I’m going to have to make this dish up again sometime, it was great growing up in a meat butcher family, I love my meat!!
I have never heard of picked pigs feet! Must be yummy!
We buy them bottled in the store here they are called Salted Pork Hocks
Am trying to make ragout for my first time. I can’t seem to find a store in Ottawa that carries browned flour — and I’ve heard that browning flour yourself in a pan can really stink.
Any suggestions where to buy browned flour in Ottawa?
Can’t wait to try making this, I love ragout.
I just purchased mine at Sobeys. It’s called Toasted flour by Blouin. The package is yellow and red. They have a dark or light one, I chose the light one.
Stewed ig’s feet sounds totally deliouc.I sometimes cook them like this with cabbage and onions.I am going to lov tryinng this recipe with all the spices in it.Thank you.
The end result looks very good but I don’t think I could cook pig’s feet.
I googled this item because I want to make it myself and landed here. My Franco Ontarian sister in law makes this for us at Christmas almost every year, completely from scratch along with her grandmothers tortierre. it’s absolutely wonderful, and one of my personal Christmas highlights. Yes , my wife seems envious at times.
It’s really good! Let me know how you like it!
I have to say that the whole idea turns my stomach but I know people loved back in the day but I just can’t do it.
My grandmother made this every new years day, along with cabage rolls when I was a kid. can’t say I liked it. but loved her tortiere. There somewhere the family recipe for this and my extended family has carried on the tradition.