Sichuan Style Pig Trotter Soup is a classic braised soup from Sichuan and Chongqing. The pig trotters are stewed until snowy white and fall-off-the-bone tender, and the broth is milky white, rich, and savory. Serve it with a dipping sauce—soft, sticky, and spicy, it’s never greasy. It looks hard, but there are really only two key steps: blanching to remove the smell, and simmering slowly.
Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 2–3 hours | Serves: 3–4
🌴 Ingredients:
· Pork front trotters, 2 (about 1000g / 2.2 lbs; front trotters have more meat and tendon, making them perfect for soup. Ask the butcher to torch the skin and chop them into chunks.)
🌴 Aromatics & Optional Add-ins:
· Sliced ginger, 5–6 slices (about 20g)
· Scallion stalks, 3 (about 45g; tied into a knot)
· Angelica root (Bai Zhi), 2 slices (about 3g; optional, for aroma and removing smell. Look for it in the dried herb section of Asian grocery stores. If unavailable, it’s totally fine to skip.)
· Dong Quai (Dang Gui), 1 small slice (about 2g; optional, for extra aroma. Found in the same section; also fine to skip if you can’t find it.)
· Sichuan peppercorns, a small pinch (about 2g; half for blanching, half for the soup)
· Cooking wine, 2 tbsp (about 30ml)
· Dried scallops, a few (about 10g; optional, for extra umami)
· Ham or salted pork, a small piece (about 20g; optional, for extra savoriness)
· Sugarcane, 1 small section, or water chestnuts, a few (about 50g; optional, for freshness and to remove the smell)
🌴 For the Dipping Sauce:
· Minced garlic, 3 cloves (about 10g)
· Thai bird’s eye chilies, 2–3 (about 5g; sliced into rings, reserve a little for garnish)
· Light soy sauce, 2 tbsp (about 30ml)
· Chinkiang vinegar, 1 tbsp (about 15ml)
· Chili oil, 2 tbsp (about 30ml; if unavailable, use chili powder mixed with hot oil)
· Sugar, ½ tsp (about 2.5g)
· Sesame oil, a few drops (about 1ml)
· Chopped scallion, a little
· Oyster sauce, ½ tsp (about 2.5g; optional, for umami)
🌴 Seasonings:
· Salt, about 3–4g, to taste (add at the end)
· White pepper powder, a pinch (about 0.5g; add just before turning off the heat)
All spoon measures are level. Chinkiang vinegar is slightly sweet and malty—use it as listed for the best flavor.
🌴 Instructions:
- Prepare the Trotters
Soak the trotters in warm water and scrub the torched skin and crevices clean. Place them in a pot with cold water, add ginger slices, scallion segments, 2 tbsp cooking wine, and a few Sichuan peppercorns. Bring to a boil over high heat, and skim off the foam until no more blood oozes out. Boil for 5 minutes, remove, and rinse with warm water. ⚠️ Tip: Soaking and scrubbing in warm water removes the burnt skin and hidden dirt. Skim off all the foam so the broth won’t smell gamey. Rinse with warm water, not cold, or the meat will tighten up. - Braise the Soup
Place the trotters, ginger slices, scallion knot, Sichuan peppercorns, angelica root, and dong quai into a clay pot or soup pot. For more umami, add a few dried scallops or a small piece of ham; to remove the smell and add sweetness, add a small section of sugarcane or a few water chestnuts. Add enough water to cover the trotters by two fingers (about 2000–2500ml / 8–10 cups). Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and keep it at a gentle simmer (micro-boiling) with the lid slightly ajar. Simmer slowly for 2–3 hours. Don’t open the lid frequently during the first hour; if the water runs low, only add hot water. ⚠️ Tip: Don’t add cold water midway; always use hot water. A gentle simmer means not a rolling boil but still bubbling—a violent boil will make the soup cloudy instead of milky white. Add enough water at the start to cover by two fingers, leaving room for evaporation. - Season
Braise until a chopstick easily pierces the skin and tendons, and the meat falls off the bone with a gentle pinch. Add salt to taste, and sprinkle with a pinch of white pepper powder just before turning off the heat. ⚠️ Tip: Add salt at the very end—salting early prevents the meat from getting tender. Add white pepper just before turning off the heat to preserve its aroma. A little is enough; don’t let it overpower the soup’s natural flavor. - Make the Dipping Sauce
In a bowl, combine the minced garlic, chilies, 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp Chinkiang vinegar, 2 tbsp chili oil, ½ tsp sugar, a few drops of sesame oil, and chopped scallion. For extra umami, add ½ tsp of oyster sauce. Stir well. If you don’t have chili oil, use chili powder mixed with hot oil instead. ⚠️ Tip: Taste the sauce first—if it’s too sour, add sugar; if it’s too bland, add soy sauce. The soy sauce and chili oil are already salty, so no extra salt is needed. Make it fresh and dip immediately—the garlic flavor gets harsh if left too long. Reserve a little chili for the final garnish to add a layered spicy kick. - Serve
Ladle out the trotters and the soup, sprinkle with chopped scallion, and serve with the dipping sauce on the side. Dip the trotters for a soft, sticky, and spicy bite, and drink the soup separately—it’s milky white and savory. ⚠️ Tip: Serve the soup and trotters separately, with the dipping sauce on the side. Dip the trotters just before eating so they don’t soak up too much salt.
💡 Tips:
After torching the skin, soak and scrub the trotters in warm water. Blanch them in cold water with Sichuan peppercorns and cooking wine, skim off all the foam, and rinse with warm water. Add enough water at the start to cover the trotters by two fingers, keep the soup at a gentle simmer with the lid ajar, and avoid opening the lid frequently during the first hour. Only add hot water midway if needed. For extra umami, add dried scallops or ham; to remove the smell and add sweetness, add sugarcane or water chestnuts. Braise until a chopstick pierces the skin easily and the meat falls off the bone, then add salt, and sprinkle white pepper just before turning off the heat. Mix the dipping sauce in advance without extra salt, and make it fresh for the best flavor. Reserve some chilies for the final garnish. Done this way, the soup is milky white, the trotters are fall-off-the-bone tender, and the dipping sauce is absolutely irresistible!
This Sichuan Style Pig Trotter Soup has a milky white broth, with trotters so tender they fall off the bone—served with the dipping sauce, it’s impossible to stop eating. If you like this collagen-rich pork trotter recipe, you can also try my previously posted Braised Pork Trotters (Braised Pork Trotters). For more nourishing soups, check out my soups (soups) category!
❤️ Click the homepage for more delicious recipes!