Soul Food · Authentic-ish Soul Food
Hog Maws
388 kcal a serving, against 582 for the traditional version. That is 194 kcal off, or 33%, with 45.2g of protein. Serves 6. 3 hours (plus overnight soaking and cooling).
What the traditional version is
Hog maws are traditionally made by thoroughly washing and cleaning a whole pig stomach, then stuffing it with a seasoned mixture of fatty pork sausage or diced pork, potatoes, onions, and sometimes celery.
What changed, and what each change costs
Fatty pork shoulder and sausage for lean pork mince and cannellini beans
Pork shoulder and sausage bring deep flavour and unbothered richness, but if you swap them for very lean pork mince and beans, you crank up the protein and cut the fat dramatically.
What it costs you. It doesn't taste the same. You lose a lot of that meaty depth and the sticky, gelatinous texture that makes folks rave about maws. It edges closer to a giant pork-and-bean pasty, which isn't quite the point, but it's edible and honest.
White potatoes for extra vegetables: sweet potato and carrot
Potatoes are fine but bring little protein or fibre to the table. Adding sweet potato and carrot lightens the stuffing and gives you some sweetness to make up for the lost fat.
What it costs you. You'll notice the stuffing is lighter and less dense. It loses that starchy, gluey cohesion, but honestly, it makes for nicer leftovers if you ask me.
Boiling in plain water for simmering in mildly salted water with onion and bay leaf
Swapping the boiling liquid for a lightly seasoned bath brings back some flavour lost by trimming away the fat and sausage.
What it costs you. It's a small win, but don't expect wonder. The original's broth is fatty, almost like a soup base. This is thinner and lighter.
Pig stomach for skinless chicken breast, cooked and sliced, served with all the stuffing
This is the nuclear option. If cleaning pig stomach isn't your thing (and let's be honest, the texture is divisive), you can go for skinless chicken breast, poached and sliced, and serve the stuffing as a kind of deconstructed 'maw.'
What it costs you. It's not the same dish. The chew vanishes, and so does the bragging rights. But it's here if you want everything else.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 582 | 388 |
| Protein | 48.3g | 45.2g |
| Fat | 32.5g | 12.5g |
| Saturated fat | 11.3g | 4.2g |
| Carbohydrate | 21.5g | 23.5g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 8.3g | 11.6g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Soul Food prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. gluten, celery.
The method is in the book
There's no getting around it - hog maws are about the texture. The first time you swap fatty shoulder for lean mince and beans, you'll notice the chew is less satisfying, and there's less of that unctuous, lip-smacking richness folks argue about at family tables. But you can get a meaty, filling main with a vaguely familiar vibe, and the sweet potato and beans don't bully the pork too hard. Is it as memorable? Not really. But you'll feel a little livelier after eating, and you won't be cleaning grease off your glasses for a week.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Soul Food, along with 52 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.