How long must the pig's trotters be prepared before boiling?

The trotters are placed in cold water for one day. Then they are scalded with hot water and scraped well before being placed in the cold, salted water with baking soda.

How much salt and water do I use?

For 4 trotters: 4 liters water, 60 grams salt and a pinch of baking soda. Skim off during boiling.

When are the trotters done boiling?

When they feel tender, that is, when a stick passes easily through the meat. They are taken up immediately and cooled in cold water.

What do I do if the syltelabber become too salty in the brine?

Place them in a mixture of milk and water a couple of hours before serving. The milk draws out the salt and makes the trotters whiter.

What are syltelabber served with?

Cold with vinegar, pepper and beets. They can also be served hot, breaded. The recipe is from Henriette Schønberg Erken's «Stor kokebok» (1914), p. 257.

Pig's Trotters, Syltelabber

Classic syltelabber (brined pig's trotters): 4 pig's trotters are soaked for a day, scalded and scraped, boiled tender in 4 l water with 60 g salt and a pinch of baking soda, cooled, split lengthwise and placed in brine. Served cold with vinegar, pepper and beets, or hot breaded in egg and rusk with fried potatoes and apple sauce.

Source: Henriette Schønberg Erken, Stor kokebok, 1914-utg. s. 257 (falt i det fri)

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About the dish

Syltelabber were among the fixed items on the Christmas and cold table. Erken describes both the cold traditional serving with vinegar and beets, and a warm variant breaded in egg and rusk.

How to make it

1
Soaking
Place the trotters in cold water for one day.
2
Clean
Scald the trotters with hot water and scrape them well.
3
Boiling
Place the trotters in the cold, salted water with baking soda added. Skim off and boil until they feel tender, or until a stick passes easily through the meat.
4
Cooling
Take the trotters up immediately and cool them in cold water.
5
Place in brine
When the trotters are completely cold, split them in two lengthwise and place them in a brine of salt and water.
6
Soak if necessary
If the trotters have become too salty, place them in a mixture of milk and water a couple of hours before serving. The milk draws out the salt and makes the trotters whiter.
7
Cold serving
Serve the trotters with vinegar, pepper and beets.
8
Hot serving
The trotters can also be breaded in egg and rusk, fried golden brown in butter and served with fried potatoes and apple sauce or truffle sauce.

Changes from the original

«Knivsodd natron» (a knife-point of baking soda) is estimated at ¼ tsp. Rusk kept (can be replaced with dry breadcrumbs). Measurements are converted to liters/grams and modern units, and the method is divided into steps.

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Frequently asked questions

How long must the pig's trotters be prepared before boiling?: The trotters are placed in cold water for one day. Then they are scalded with hot water and scraped well before being placed in the cold, salted water with baking soda.
How much salt and water do I use?: For 4 trotters: 4 liters water, 60 grams salt and a pinch of baking soda. Skim off during boiling.
When are the trotters done boiling?: When they feel tender, that is, when a stick passes easily through the meat. They are taken up immediately and cooled in cold water.
What do I do if the syltelabber become too salty in the brine?: Place them in a mixture of milk and water a couple of hours before serving. The milk draws out the salt and makes the trotters whiter.
What are syltelabber served with?: Cold with vinegar, pepper and beets. They can also be served hot, breaded. The recipe is from Henriette Schønberg Erken's «Stor kokebok» (1914), p. 257.

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