Polish Pork Aspic {Galareta z Nóżek; Zimne Nóżki; Zimne Nogi; Studzienina}
Galareta z nóżek [gah-lah-reh-tah z noo-gek], zimne nóżki [zyee-mneh noo-g-kee] or zimne nogi [zyee-mneh no-gee] are all terms describing one very traditional Polish dish. Galareta literally means “jello” but I don’t think that describes the dish accurately as most people think of jello as sweet (outside Poland, that is). Zimne nogi = cold feet! 😁 Also, very unconventional name for a dish. But I guess unconventional dish gets an unconventional name.
I’m sure you’ve noticed, that Poles are very inventive with stretching their food. We don’t only suspend pork in gelatin, we do it to chicken [my recipe here] and also fish [my recipe here], all of which I enjoy.
Both pork and chicken aspics are always made for Easter in my home, along with many other traditional Polish Easter dishes. Fresh sausage, liver pate, vegetable salad along with traditional Easter desserts will be prepared. Check out the EASTER section of my blog for a full spread of Easter recipes.
Polish Pork Aspic {Galareta z Nóżek; Zimne Nóżki; Zimne Nogi}
Ingredients
- 2 pigs feet (about 2 lbs / 1 kg)
- About 2 lbs / 1 kg of raw ham hocks
- 8 cups / 2 liters of water
- 2-3 carrots
- 1 parsnip or parsley root
- 1/4 of a celery root
- 1 medium onion (burnt over gas burner or on a dry frying pan)
- 10 allspice and peppercorn seeds each
- 4-5 bay leaves
- 2 tsp of salt + 1/2 tsp of salt
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed + 5 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp of ground pepper
- 1/2 tsp of dried marjoram
Instructions
Wash all pork and place in a large stock pot with wa- ter, carrots, parsnip / parsley root, celery root, onion, peppercorns, allspice berries, bay leaves, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 4 crushed garlic cloves. Bring to boil, turn heat to low and simmer for 1 hour.
Take out vegetables and continue simmering for an- other 2–3 hours, or until meat is tender and falling off the bone.
After meat is cooked, remove it from stock and set aside until cool enough to manage.
In the meantime, strain stock, slice vegetables and mince garlic. Return sliced vegetables and add garlic, pepper, and marjoram to stock. Taste. Add a bit more salt, if needed.
Once meat has cooled off, take off the bone and re- move some of the fat. Slice meat, skin and return to stock.
Pour into containers. Cool at room temperature and then transfer to the fridge.
To serve, cut into thick slices.
Notes
Enjoy with bread, garnished with vinegar or lemon juice and/or horseradish.
I like to eat it with my home-made super spicy horseradish [my recipe here].
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Smacznego!
Anna
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Oh my goodness. I just found your blog via Pinterest (looking for Polish Easter food!) and I am so thrilled. This recipe was a favorite of my grandfather’s but for the life of me I couldn’t remember the name and when I’ve tried to describe it to people they were sure I must have been imagining it! I’ll be visiting often!
So glad i found this, my Polish mother passed away (94 ) the day before Christmas and i was searching for a Galareta Recipe , for days , I will enjoy this with fond memories of my mother . THANK YOU SO MUCH . I will have tos search your site for blood sausage recipe next.
Polish menus
Parsnip? Really?
Don’t use a parsnip. You will spoil it.
This suppose to be a parsley root, I think.
BIG difference.
Masz rację Jurek , tzn. nie zepsuje galarety dodając pasternak ale korzeń pietruszki daje więcej smaku , przyznam ze wielu ludzi ludzi myli parsnip z parsley root.
I’m making this now for the first time ever for a Polish Style Easter! I’m also going to make your Rye Bread, Zurek, and Chicken/Mushroom Pate =)
During the simmering phases of this Aspic recipe is the pot covered, uncovered, or half covered with a lid? I did half covered but would like to know for next time. Thanks! Would love a video of you making this one!
Covered/half covered. Good luck! Please let me know how everything turned out! 😊
Growing in Argentina as an orphan, we migrated from Nowopole I rejoined the Polish at 16 with my Auntie Honorcha and I got familiar with galareta, pierowski, salted herring with fermented onion, delicious! As well I played the violin by ear a tradition in the family, my uncle Damasek played the chromatic accordion those fast mazurkas and polonaises
Good on you the keep the food traditions
Genkuie- Stacz
From Perth Western Australia
Not Easter but I spied some pigs feet and hocks at the store yesterday and I remembered your video, so I bought them and made the Galereta for today! It’s been several years since I made it. Excellent recipe. Thanks, Anna!
Zimne nogi = cold LEGS. Zimne stopy would be cold feet.
Jellied Pigs knuckle recipe was close to what I remember my Baba made for their Tavern in the Fairmount section of Philadelphia back in the 40s
Devinerob59@icloud.com can you freeze it. I married into a polish family.. I love this stuff. Brother in-laws don’t.
Hi Robert! No, you can’t freeze gelatin, unfortunately.
Thanks. I made a ton of cold feet. How long will it last in fridge.
About 5-7 days. It will keep longer if placed in jars then refrigerated. If you see water drops on the surface, it’s probably done.
You don’t use any gelatin in this recipe? Your fish and chicken ones do.
Thanks!
Boiling pork hocks will produce enough gelatin to keep this solid. 😊