📝 About This Recipe
This traditional Portuguese masterpiece is the ultimate comfort food, hailing from the heart of Ribatejo. It features tender, gelatinous cow's trotters slow-cooked until they melt in your mouth, paired with buttery chickpeas in a rich, paprika-infused tomato broth. It is a celebratory dish of patience and heritage, offering a deep, savory umami profile that captures the essence of rustic Iberian soul food.
🥗 Ingredients
The Meat and Prep
- 1.5 kg Cow's Trotter (cleaned, split, and cut into medium chunks)
- 1 piece Lemon (halved, for cleaning the meat)
- 3 pieces Bay Leaves (dried)
- 250 ml White Wine (dry, good quality)
The Base and Aromatics
- 4 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Portuguese preferred)
- 2 large Onions (finely diced)
- 5 pieces Garlic Cloves (minced)
- 150 g Chouriço de Carne (sliced into rounds)
- 100 g Smoked Bacon or Salpicão (cubed)
The Sauce and Legumes
- 400 g Crushed Tomatoes (canned or very ripe fresh)
- 1 tablespoon Tomato Paste
- 1 tablespoon Sweet Paprika (Colorau)
- 1/2 teaspoon Piri-Piri or Chili Flakes (adjust to heat preference)
- 800 g Cooked Chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
- 2 medium Carrots (peeled and sliced into rounds)
- 1 bunch Fresh Parsley or Mint (chopped for garnish)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Start by thoroughly cleaning the cow's trotters. Rub them with the cut lemon and rinse under cold water. Place them in a large pot with one bay leaf and enough salted water to cover. Boil for 10 minutes, then drain and discard the water to ensure a clean flavor.
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2
Return the trotters to the pot (or a pressure cooker for speed). Add fresh water, a splash of wine, and another bay leaf. Cook until tender—about 2 hours in a regular pot or 45-50 minutes in a pressure cooker. The meat should be starting to pull away from the bone.
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3
Once cooked, remove the trotters from the broth. Reserve at least 500ml of the cooking liquid, straining it through a fine mesh sieve. When the meat is cool enough to handle, you may remove the larger bones if preferred, though leaving them in adds flavor.
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4
In a large, heavy-bottomed clay pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onions and cook until translucent and golden, about 8 minutes.
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5
Add the minced garlic, sliced chouriço, and cubed bacon. Sauté for 5 minutes until the fats render and the meats become slightly crispy.
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6
Stir in the tomato paste and paprika, cooking for 1 minute to wake up the spices. Add the crushed tomatoes and piri-piri, stirring well to combine.
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7
Pour in the remaining white wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any flavorful browned bits from the bottom.
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8
Add the cooked trotters, the sliced carrots, and the reserved cooking broth. Bring to a gentle simmer.
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9
Cover and simmer for 20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the carrots to soften.
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10
Add the cooked chickpeas to the pot. Stir gently and cook for another 10-15 minutes. The sauce should thicken naturally from the gelatin in the trotters.
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11
Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. If the stew is too thick, add a little more broth; if too thin, simmer uncovered for a few minutes.
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12
Turn off the heat and let the dish rest for 5-10 minutes. This 'resting' phase is crucial for the flavors to fully settle.
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13
Garnish generously with fresh chopped parsley or mint before serving in deep bowls.
💡 Chef's Tips
Always use the cooking liquid from the trotters as your base; it is packed with natural gelatin that gives the sauce its signature silky texture. If you have time, make this dish a day in advance; like all great stews, it tastes even better the next day. Don't rush the onion base—slowly caramelizing the onions provides a necessary sweetness to balance the richness of the meat. For a more rustic texture, mash a small handful of the chickpeas against the side of the pot to further thicken the sauce naturally.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve with thick slices of crusty Alentejo bread to mop up every drop of the rich sauce. Pair with a full-bodied Portuguese red wine from the Douro or Dão regions to stand up to the hearty flavors. A simple side of white rice (Arroz Branco) is the traditional accompaniment to soak up the gravy. Follow the meal with a light, acidic dessert like a lemon sorbet or fresh fruit to cleanse the palate after the rich stew.