Kocsonya / Pork jelly (AIP)

Additive-free, pure jelly

Kocsonya is a traditional Hungarian chilled appetizer, a characteristic winter-feature, made from pork (ears, tail, cheeks, trotters). It is still summer here
(so the calendar says) and I fancied a cool snack between meals to keep me satisfied. Beautiful organic pork trotters are the single added ingredients to filtered water in this version.

You will need:
4 pork trotters, whole or cut if half (lengthwise)
filtered water, to cover the trotters

1. Rinse and clean the trotters. Put them in a stock pot, or slow cooker or pressure cooker.
2. Cover them with filtered water, about 2 inches on top. In a stock pot bring the water to the boil then reduce the heat to minimum, cover with a lid and gently cook (barely simmer) for 4 to 6 hours. In a slow cooker cook for 8 to 12 hours. In a pressure cooker cook for 2 hours.
3. When the time is up, carefully fish out the pork trotters. Arrange them in two glass containers and fill them up with the hot broth. When they have cooled down to room temperature, cover with lids and refrigerate overnight to congeal.
4. To serve: Using a knife loosen the edges, with a plate on top turn the jelly out onto the plate. Cut into chunks (where the bones will let you). Serve onto small plates and give a thin drizzle of apple cider vinegar (optional) or just serve as they are. Enjoy!

Tip: You can spice up your pork broth with bay leaf, onion, garlic and celery for some extra flavours. Use a glass container just for the broth, after it congealed you can spoon out the jelly into small bowls. You can always reheat the jelly into nourishing hot broth.