Hochepot (Flemish)

A traditional Flemish hochepot combines oxtail, pig's ears, pig's trotters, and sometimes beef or pork ribs, simmered for hours with root vegetables like carrots, leeks, onions, and potatoes. The mix of tough, gelatinous cuts is essential to the dish's rich texture.

Carbonnade flamande is a beef and onion stew braised in Belgian beer, whereas hochepot is a more rustic potpourri of mixed meats—including offal cuts like pig's ears—and root vegetables without beer. Both are Belgian classics but are distinct in ingredients and flavor profile.

Because it relies on tough, collagen-rich cuts like oxtail and pig's ears, hochepot typically requires at least three to four hours of slow simmering. The extended cooking time allows the meats to become tender and the broth to thicken naturally from the rendered gelatin.

The word derives from the Old French 'hodgepodge,' literally meaning a shake-up or mixed pot, reflecting the dish's combination of whatever meats and vegetables were available. The dish is documented in the region as far back as the 14th century.