Trotters

What Is Paça (Trotter)?

Paça is a traditional preparation made by boiling the foot section of beef or lamb (mostly connective tissue, skin, and bone) for a long time. It has a low meat ratio and a high gelatin ratio.

It is the main ingredient of paça soup, a classic winter soup; the jelly-like liquid that forms after long cooking gives the soup its characteristic texture.

Nutritional Values of Paça

Since paça consists mostly of connective tissue (collagen), it is moderately caloric and protein-rich; however this protein does not have as balanced an amino-acid profile as muscle meat. The amount of gelatin released during long boiling is quite high.

What Are the Benefits of Paça?

With its collagen-rich structure, paça is consumed in traditional cuisine as a filling and warming dish, especially in cold months; it is seen as part of the bone-broth tradition.

This information is general; paça is a food, not a substitute for medical treatment. As it is usually served with a salty broth and contains fat, moderate consumption is recommended.

How to Choose Paça

Raw paça should be obtained cleaned, hair-free, and with an unbroken cold chain; a reliable butcher or establishment selling paça should be preferred.

• It should be verified to be cleaned, hair-free, and odorless.
• Fresh paça should be pale in color and moist in texture.
• Pieces with a balanced ratio of bone to skin should be preferred.

How to Store Paça

Cooked paça should be consumed within 2-3 days when kept in the refrigerator. Raw paça should be processed or frozen the same day; boiled paça and its liquid can be portioned and kept in the freezer for a few months.

Using Paça in the Kitchen

After cleaning, paça is boiled with onion for hours; the foam is skimmed off regularly during this process. The resulting meat and jelly-like liquid are turned into a seasoned soup.

How Is Paça Cooked?

Cleaned paça is boiled in plenty of water with onion for 4-6 hours, until the meat separates from the bone and the liquid takes on a jelly-like consistency; the foam should be skimmed off frequently.

How to Make Paça Soup?

Boiled paça meat is finely chopped and added to the strained boiling liquid; it is thickened with a butter-flour roux and served with garlicky vinegar and butter infused with red chili powder.

Which Recipes Use Paça?

Paça soup is the best-known and most common recipe. In some regions it is also prepared together with kelle eti as kelle-paça.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is paça good for?

Paça is rich in collagen (gelatin); it is regarded in traditional cuisine as a filling and warming dish. It is a food, not a claim to cure any illness.

How long does paça take to cook?

An average of 4-6 hours; cooking continues until the meat easily separates from the bone and the liquid becomes jelly-like. The time can be shortened in a pressure cooker.

Why does paça broth turn into a jelly?

The dense connective tissue in the foot region turns into gelatin with long cooking; when it cools, this gelatin turns the liquid into a jelly-like consistency, which is the characteristic feature of paça soup.

What is paça soup served with?

It is traditionally served with garlicky vinegar and a mixture of sizzling butter and red chili powder; this combination balances the flavor of the soup.

Can paça be frozen?

Yes, boiled paça meat and its liquid can be portioned into airtight containers and kept in the freezer for a few months.