Hungarian Aspic – Kocsonya

Hungarian Kocsonya, also known as Hungarian Aspic, is a traditional winter dish made by slowly simmering pork, vegetables, garlic, and spices until the broth becomes naturally gelatinous. Once chilled, the flavorful broth sets into a clear, savory jelly surrounding tender pieces of meat.

It is a classic Hungarian specialty, especially popular during the colder months and around Christmas and New Year celebrations.

🇭🇺 What Is Hungarian Kocsonya?

Kocsonya is a traditional Hungarian meat aspic. Unlike modern gelatin-based dishes, the classic version gets its natural setting power from collagen-rich pork parts such as:

• Pork feet
• Pork skin
• Pork hocks
• Pork ears
• Pork knuckles

The meat and bones are simmered slowly for several hours with garlic, onions, carrots, peppercorns, and bay leaves. The resulting broth is strained and poured into individual bowls with pieces of meat.

After several hours in the refrigerator, the broth becomes firm and beautifully translucent.

🥣 Ingredients

For the Broth

• 2–3 pork feet
• 1½–2 lb (700–900 g) pork hock or pork skin
• 1 pork ear, optional
• 1 large onion
• 3–4 cloves garlic
• 2 carrots
• 1 parsley root or parsnip
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• Salt, to taste
• 3–4 liters (12–16 cups) cold water

Optional

• A small piece of celery root
• Fresh parsley
• A few slices of cooked carrot for decoration
• Paprika, for serving
• Fresh lemon juice