This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
Want to impress your parents with the Ukrainian Aspic recipe? LOL
My husband made this aspic or holodets recipe; mostly because I wouldn’t go near pigs feat with a 10 foot pole. That’s what Ukrainian people use to make the gelatin firm; pigs feet. I fought him hard on this recipe, but he insisted. He secretly purchased the ingredients and I rolled my eyes when I saw them in the freezer. He wasn’t going to let me stop him.
Before you turn up your nose and run off, here are some fun facts I learned about Aspics (kholodets) from Wikipedia:
* Meat Aspics came before Jello (I guess that means we owe aspics a debt of gratitude)
* Cooks used to show off their creativity and skills with inventive aspics (you can too!) lol
* Aspics became popular in the US and were a dinner staple in the 1950’s (now on the verge of extinction in the US, but not in Ukraine).
* Ukrainian people refer to Aspic as Holodets.
You know, in the end, I’m glad my husband made this. It preserves the recipe and helps us remember our roots. (I wasn’t kidding when I said Ukrainian food can be bizarre). This tasted exactly like the one my Mom made years ago. We brought this to my parents house on Sunday and they were so impressed; even my sister ate it and had seconds! Thanks honey for being persistent. I’m just floored that you actually made Holodets. That’s right ladies; my man made holodets. And, he works out. 😉
Ingredients for Aspic/Holodets:
2 lb pork legs, soaked in cold water and refrigerated 3 hours to overnight
5-8 large chicken drumsticks (or any meat with the bone in)
2 medium onions
1 large carrot
1 stick of celery
2 bay leaves
5-10 peppercorns
2 tsp salt + more to taste
Red Horseradish sause/Hren or Russian mustard to serve
How to make Aspic – Kholodets:
1. Make sure you soak the pork legs in cold water (we put them in the fridge overnight which is also a good way to thaw them if you want to make it the next day).
2. In a large pot, Add pork legs, and chicken drum sticks. Add enough water to cover all of the meat. Set over high heat, cover and bring to a boil. As soon as it starts boiling, remove from heat and drain off the water.
Rinse the meat, refill with fresh water (enough water to cover all of the meat, plus an extra 1/2-inch over the meat); Don’t add too much water or it won’t be “gelatiney” enough later.
Cover and bring to a boil again.Reduce heat to a light boil/simmer and set a timer for 5 hours :-O. (I have a much greater appreciation for my mom’s efforts in making holodets after watching my husband make this).
3. After cooking for 5 hours, Add 1 large carrot, 2 medium onions (both ends removed), 1 celery stick, 2 bay leaves, 5-8 peppercorns and 2 tsp salt into the pot and continue boiling on low heat 1 more hour. It should start to look like a nice chicken broth. Now it’s important that you keep the broth (do not discard the broth!) and do not add more water.
4. Remove the drumsticks and carrot from the broth and let them cool. Discard pork legs, onion and bay leaves. Use a fine mesh sieve with 3 bounty paper towels in the colander and filter the broth through the paper towels. You will be left with a clean broth.
5. Peel and press 4 garlic cloves into the broth and do a taste test to see if more salt is needed.
6. Once the meat has cooled, use a fork to separate meat from the bones. Keep the good meat; discard the rest. Thinly slice the carrot. You can make one big holodets in a rectangular pyrex dish or you can make smaller bowls.
7. Start by placing carrots on the bottom and top with some dill if you wish. Next add the meat in an even layer and pour broth over the meat. You need enough broth to cover the meat and add a little extra over the top. Refrigerate 3 hours to overnight or until firm. Serve with red horseradish/hren or Russian mustard. Once it’s set, set the bowl in hot water for a few seconds, then use a slim spatula to release the gelatin from the dish.
Note:
If using varying types or amounts of meat/bones, reader Lena shared a great tip: “An easy way to find out if your liquid is going to freeze or if you need to add gelatin, is to put a table spoon of it into a bowl and put it in the fridge. If it stiffens then you’re safe, but if not, then to add gelatin.”
Ukrainian Aspic Recipe (Kholodets)
Ingredients
- 2 lb pork legs, soaked in cold water and refrigerated 3 hours to overnight
- 5-8 large chicken drumsticks, or any meat with the bone in
- 2 medium onions
- 1 large carrot
- 1 stick of celery
- 2 bay leaves
- 5-10 peppercorns
- 2 tsp salt + more to taste
- Red horseradish/hren sause or mustard to serve
Instructions
- Make sure you soak the pork legs in cold wate (3 hours to overnight - it's also a good way to thaw the pork)
- In a large pot, add pork legs, and chicken drum sticks. Add enough water to cover all of the meat. Set over high heat, cover and bring to a boil. As soon as it starts boiling, remove from heat and drain off the water. Rinse the meat, refill with fresh water (enough water to cover all of the meat, plus an extra 1/2-inch over the meat); Don't add too much water or it won't be "gelatiney" enough later. Cover and bring to a boil again. Reduce heat to a light boil/simmer and set a timer for 5 hours.
- After cooking for 5 hours, Add 1 large carrot, 2 medium onions (both ends removed), 1 celery stick, 2 bay leaves, 5-8 peppercorns and 2 tsp salt into the pot and continue boiling on low heat 1 more hour. It should look like a nice chicken broth. Now it's important that you do not discard the broth and do not add more water to the pot!
- Remove the drumsticks and carrot from the broth and let them cool. Discard pork legs, onion and bay leaves. Use a fine mesh sieve with 3 bounty paper towels over the sieve and filter the broth through the paper towels. You will be left with a clean broth.
- Peel and press 4 garlic cloves into the broth and do a taste test to see if more salt is needed.
- Once the meat has cooled, use a fork to separate meat from the bones. Keep the good meat; discard the bones. Thinly slice the carrot. You can make one big holodets in a rectangular pyrex dish or you can make smaller serving bowls.
- Start by placing carrots on the bottom and top with some dill if you wish. Next add the meat in an even layer and pour broth over the meat; enough to cover the meat and a little extra over the top. Refrigerate 3 hours to overnight, or until firm. Serve with red horseradish/hren (recipe on NatashasKitchen.com) or Russian mustard. Once it's set, set the bowl in hot water for a few seconds, then use a slim spatula to release the gelatin from the dish. Or you can just serve it out of the dish and save yourself a step.
If you are still reading this, do you do anything fancy with your aspics (holodets)? Do you even make aspics??
If substituting chicken feet for pigs feet, does the soaking overnight step still apply?
Hi Brad, yes, you would still soak the chicken feet over night if substituting. It will make for a clearer broth and it will remove any impurities.
Can I make kholodetz with beef bone instead pork. I cannot eat pork
Yes, beef bones will work too.
I’m an aussie born of Ukraine parents. My mother would be extremely happy if I could source a pigs head for her so she could make Holodets. Pigs head to me was the main ingredient to make Holodets. I think the US has a name for this. I believe that pig skin is useful for gelatin. I did not know chicken was good for making Holodets so I’m grateful That Natasha made that known to me. I’ve made a few using using chicken to make Holodets, complete with dill and carrot. Very good. Pig skin is also good as a source of gelatin.
I buy store bought pork roast, cut the skin off when I make sausages, ( unfortunately these days pork is too lean when making sausage), then use the skin plus chicken drum sticks to make Holodets. About to add pork meat to my next batch. Made a batch of hren today, (blow your head off) going to make some cream version to lower its heat. Too late for home grown beets here.