Pork-Chicken Meat Jelly

If you’re looking for an authentic Eastern European holiday treat, this pork and chicken aspic (piftie) delivers pure tradition and flavor. Juicy pork and chicken pieces are simmered slowly with carrots, onions, garlic, and spices until the broth becomes rich with natural gelatin. The infused broth is then carefully poured over the meat, vegetables, and crushed garlic before being chilled to form a firm, elegant jelly.

The result is a striking cold dish that’s both savory and satisfying—perfect as an appetizer or a centerpiece for festive gatherings. Effort takes time, but the creamy, sliceable jelly is absolutely worth it.

• 
  To make the kholodets turn out not only tasty but also transparent, it is important to deal with the meat the day before. It is optimal to prepare the products in the evening and the morning to directly prepare the main dish. Rinsed chicken leaves in water, and before soaking the pork knuckle, do not forget to scrape it with a knife from the remains of bristles and dirt. Thanks to the water, all the blood will be gone from the meat, and the cholodets will be even tastier. Let the meat stand in water for 7-8 hours.
• 
  Now let’s start cooking the meat. I cooked it in a multicooker, but you can do it in a regular pot. At the bottom, we put chicken, knuckles, and the rest of the meat.
• 
  For transparency of the broth be sure to put peeled onions, and for flavor – garlic. Fill to the brim with water, and salt, and put on the fire for at least 5 hours. 30 minutes before cooking put in the pot of black pepper peas and a few leaves of laurel leaf.
• 
  When the meat is cooked, remove and leave to cool. The broth can be strained to get rid of small fragments of bones. Separate the meat from the bones, you can separate it into small fibers and leave it that way, or you can run it through a meat grinder. I used the second option, so the kholodets turned out tender.
• 
  There are two ways of further preparation. You can mix the meat with the broth and pour it into the mold to get a homogeneous texture. Or you can first put the meat in the mold, and then pour the liquid, thanks to which we can get a “shake”. It all depends on your desires and preferences.
• 
  Leave the mold with coldcock in a cold place until solidification, after which you can enjoy a tasty dish.