French Canadian Pig's Feet and Meatball Ragout Recipe - Do It All Working Mom (2024)

Since I was a little girl, my mom has prepared the traditional Christmas ragout. The smell and taste brings me back to my childhood’s most precious memories. The memories of my mom cooking and baking for Christmas, and the great smells in the house during that time. I’ve started to make this ragout recipe two years ago; I want my kids to have the same great memories I have from my childhood.

This ragout is made with pig’s feet (pork hocks) and ground pork, it takes a bit of time to make, but it’s really easy and the amazing taste is worth the time.

This recipe is made in 2 steps; I usually do the first step on a Friday or Saturday afternoon, and the second step the next morning.

Step 1

6 large pork hocks
3 teaspoons of coarse salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon of ground clove
1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
3 large onions quartered
4 carrots sliced
Water

Add all the ingredients to a large pot, add water until the pork hocks are just covered. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer for 3 hours.

Remove the pork hocks and place them in the fridge to cool down. Strain the broth and discard everything in the strainer keeping just the clear broth. Let the broth cool down in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.

Step 2

Separate the pork hocks to keep only the meat and set aside. Remove the fat on top of your cold broth and discard. Set you broth on the stove at minimum heat. Then make your meatballs.

Meatballs
5 pounds of lean ground pork
1 onion finely chopped (in the food processor)
1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoon of dry mustard
2 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper
1 teaspoon ground clove
1 teaspoon of cinnamon

2 cups of brown flour (I brown mine in a cast iron skillet. Be careful not to burn the flour. The flour needs to be deep brown. Sift the flour after browning).

Mix all the ingredients for the meatballs, except for the brown flour. Roll your meatballs in the brown flour, and add them to a large frying pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. Brown the meatballs all around and add them to the stock.

Turn the heat up under the stock, and let simmer for 40 minutes. Thicken your broth with the remaining brown flour mixed with water (add 3 tablespoons of brown flour to a jar, add some water and shake until the flour is dissolved). Continue adding flour until desired consistency (I use about 8 tablespoons). Add the meat from the pork hocks and simmer for an extra 30 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.

This recipe can be made ahead and frozen.

Hope after making this amazing ragout, it will also become a Christmas tradition in you home.

Enjoy!

You can find more Christmas ideas here: Christmas

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