How to Bake BBQ Pig Tail
"You can eat everything but the squeal," isn't just a hyperbole. Almost every part of the pig -- or every part, depending on how much resolve you have -- contributes something to the table. Jowls, face, ears, toes and tail comprise a few of a pig's "nasty bits" -- an affectionate term, in culinary circles, for pig offal. The main difference between barbecuing and baking pig tails is tenderness. Pig tails have a lot of connective tissue and a healthy layer of fat that melts into jelly when baked, which creates moisture that makes the meat fall off the bones.
Things You'll Need
- Long pig tails
- Braising dish or deep baking pan
- Carrots
- Onions
- Celery
- Stock or broth
- Aromatic ingredients
- Fresh herbs
- Salt
- Pepper
- Aluminum foil
Instructions
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Heat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Spread 1/2 to 1 inch of mirepoix, or two parts roughly chopped onions to one part each roughly chopped carrots and celery, in the bottom of a braising dish or deep baking pan. Baking the pig tails with mirepoix rounds out the overall taste of the dish.
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Pour stock or broth in the pan until the mirepoix starts to float; add herbs, spices and aromatic ingredients. Classic aromatics include bay leaf, parsley stems, fresh thyme sprigs and crushed garlic cloves, but you can use anything you like.
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Season the mirepoix to taste with salt and pepper and stir. Lay the pig tails on the mirepoix and cover the pan with aluminum foil. Place the pan in the oven.
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Bake the pig tails until the flesh pulls away from the tails easily by hand, or about 3 hours. Turn the pig tails over in the pan every 45 minutes; check how much liquid remains each time. Add stock or broth as needed to keep 1/2 to 1 inch of liquid in the pan at all times.
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Remove the pan and place it on a towel to cool. Let the tails cool with the liquid in the pan, and remove them while still warm.
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