Meat ── Pork cuts
Tonsoku
pig's trotters — collagen-rich, usually sold pre-boiled
The trotters, mostly skin and cartilage. Long simmering turns the collagen soft and gelatinous; usually sold already boiled, and known in Okinawa as "tebichi" in local cooking.
Lineage
What it's made of
The trotters, mostly skin, cartilage, and collagen, with barely any lean meat. What defines the bite is the springy give of the connective tissue and the sticky, gelatinous texture of the skin. Fine cartilage gathers around the joints, giving those spots a noticeably different chew from the rest. The skin's surface has a springy bounce, and biting through it releases the soft collagen underneath.
How it's made
Long simmering turns the collagen in the skin and cartilage into gelatin, softening everything into a rich, silky texture. Given the effort involved, it's usually sold already boiled, with home cooks then seasoning and finishing it from there. Splitting it in half before simmering is said to let the seasoning reach further in. A pressure cooker can get it to that fall-off-the-bone softness in less time than a standard simmer.
Why it took this shape
In Okinawa it's known as "tebichi," a local dish built around simmering it for hours until the meat pulls easily from the bone. Being built almost entirely of skin and cartilage is exactly what makes it a cut that only gets better the longer it's cooked. On an Okinawan table, it often shares the same plate with mimiga, another skin-and-cartilage cut built the same way. Rich in collagen, it's also often introduced as a beauty- and health-conscious food choice.
Before you go
- What to know if you have dietary restrictionsHow allergen labeling works, where fish-based dashi, pork, and alcohol turn up, and phrases for checking with staff.
- At yakiniku, shabu-shabu, and hot potGrilling your own meat at yakiniku, swishing thin slices at shabu-shabu, and sharing from the pot — the customs behind each.
Dishes in the same style
- DaichoThe large intestine, said to be thicker and chewier than the small intestine. Prepared in various ways — simmered with vegetables and miso, or dressed with vinegar — typically after trimming away excess fat.
- HatsuThe heart, low in fat with a mild flavor. Thorough draining of blood is said to be needed before cooking, and it suits teppan-grilling or simmering, being somewhat smaller than beef heart and quick to cook through.