Mocotó
Mocotó is a deeply savory, gelatin-rich stew with tender cow foot, soft tripe, and a glossy broth scented with garlic, onion, herbs, and chili. This pressure-cooker version keeps the rustic character of the dish while making it practical for a weeknight-style timetable.
Ingredients
For the stew
- 800 gsplit cow foot, cleaned
- 250 gbeef tripe, cleaned and cut into strips
- 20 ggarlic, minced
- 120 gonion, finely diced
- 120 gtomato, diced
- 10 gfresh red chili, finely chopped
- 15 gparsley, chopped
- 20 gneutral oil or beef tallow
- 1bay leaf
- 8 gsalt
- 2 gblack pepper
- 1.2 Lwater
To finish
- 10 gparsley, chopped
- 1 gblack pepper
Instructions
- 1
Rinse the split cow foot and tripe very well under cold running water. Pat dry. Mince the garlic, dice the onion and tomato, chop the chili, and chop the parsley. This mise en place is important because once pressure-cooking starts, the rest moves quickly.
- 2
Heat the oil or tallow in a pressure cooker over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened, then add the garlic and chili and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the tomato and cook 2 minutes until it starts to break down; this builds the base flavor.
- 3
Add the cow foot and tripe to the cooker. Season with salt, black pepper, and the bay leaf, then pour in the water. Scrape the bottom well to release any browned bits so nothing scorches under pressure.
- 4
Lock the lid and bring to high pressure. Cook for 35 minutes at pressure. The cow foot should become very tender and release gelatin, and the tripe should be soft but still pleasantly textured. If your pieces are especially large or tough, add 5 more minutes.
- 5
Release the pressure naturally for 10 minutes, then vent the remaining pressure carefully. Open the cooker, remove the bay leaf, and simmer uncovered for about 8 minutes to slightly reduce the broth if needed. Stir in the chopped parsley from the stew base. The finished mocotó should be rich, glossy, and lightly thickened from the collagen.
- 6
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Ladle into warm bowls and finish with the remaining parsley and a final grind of black pepper. Serve hot.
Nutrition per serving
Notes
- •Using a pressure cooker is the only realistic way to keep mocotó close to 60 minutes; traditional stovetop versions often take several hours.
- •Ask your butcher to split and thoroughly clean the cow foot for you; this greatly improves both cooking speed and eating quality.
- •For a cleaner flavor, you can briefly blanch the cow foot and tripe for 3 minutes before starting, but this will increase the total time slightly.
- •This is naturally low in carbs and well suited to a keto menu; if you want it even stricter, reduce the tomato to 80 g.
Background
Mocotó is a traditional Brazilian dish made from cattle feet, prized for the rich broth created by slowly extracted collagen and gelatin. It is especially associated with home cooking, botecos, and hearty regional food traditions, with variations found across Brazil that may include beans, vegetables, or extra offal.
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