The pigs will be back from the butcher Friday and my brother-in-law wants to try making head cheese...all the books I have only say add spices to taste...HELP! Need a little more specific instructions than that. Have cooked the heads before for tamales but this year we want to use everyting but the proverbial squeal!! Thanks.

-- MUTTI (windance @train.missouri.org), March 31, 1999

Answers

Frankly, while I admire your utilitarian use of pigs and all organs part and parcel thereof, I have never been hungry enough to try it myself. However, I think my foxfire books would have a recipe for it . God, you dont know how hard it is not to make comments about something so creatively named!!!!! Anyway, I'll get right back to you. Over- Charlie P.

-- Charlie P. (nospamforme@maybelater.com), March 31, 1999.

Put the well scrubbed quartered head into a large kettle and cover with unsalted water. Simmer until meat falls from the bones, about 3 hours. Remove from heat and let cool until the meat can be handled, but don't let the broth get so cold that the fat congeals. Drain away the liquid strain it, and let it return to heat to reduce by 1/3 or 1/2.

Put the meat, which has been picked from the bones and gristle, into a wooden chopping bowl and chop fine. (or put thru a meat grinder?) Add enough reduced broth to make aq wet mixture and season it all to taste with SALT AND PEPPER. Pack into standard size bread loaf pans, and stack in the refrigerator, weighting the top one so it all compresses.

I took these directions from Putting Food By, by Hertzberg et al, published by Stephen Greene Press. (fair use, educational etc etc etd.)

What you are doing is using the natural gelatin of the bones to make a kind of meat jello of the meat scraps you have pulled off the head. You can do this with the head of any animal.

If I were doing this I would not use the brains or the eyeballs. I would use the tongue...maybe, although the tongue could be used alone.

As far as spices....do not add sage. Sage gets bitter over a long period of time. You could use red pepper flakes, or anise seed....sort of like an Italian sausage recipie.

You will have to freeze or can (?) the result. the book says freeze.

If the heads come back whole....cook them and save the skulls....you can put them on your front gate for decoration....

NOT!

Mary

-- mary (Cagdma@home.com), March 31, 1999.

This is direct from 1906 cook book hope it will help. "HEAD CHEESE" "To four pounds pigs head allow two pounds lean beef. Dress the head and soak over night in salt water. Scrape, wash and boil until tender. Cook beef until tender. Remove bones frome both and chop fine, then put in colander to drain off fat. Add salt, pepper, marjoram, sage and thyme to suit taste. Press is a deep, square tin and slice."

-- && (&&@&&.&), March 31, 1999.

I'm back. Here is your recipe. Its also known as "souse meat and pressed hogs head" Ok, first thing is to make sure all the bristles (hair) are removed by singing or scraping the head. It is recomended you remove the ears as they are full of gristle. Next, cut out the eyeballs and quarter the head, or at least halve it (book says either), and while still fresh, put in a pot of water to soak over night to remove the remaining blood ( I would add a bit of salt to the water based on my own experience with game meat ). After soaking, rinse until water runs clear, then put in a pot of "clean, salty water" (not too salty, as it will strengthen as water evaporates) and cook until meat begins to fall off the bone. Remove and run through a " food chopper". Seasoning depends upon taste. Some options are: 1 tbsp of sage, 1/2 tsp of ground red pepper, and salt and pepper to taste. Or, Use one onion, one pod of strong red pepper chopped fine, and 1 tsp of salt. Or " a little red and black pepper an onion, a little cornmeal, and sage and garlic to taste". You can also add a alittle vinegar of the mix. Mix thoroughly and put into capped jars, a mold , or a plate (covered of course) . Keep cold and enjoy your cheese! ;-)

-- Charlie P. (nospamforme@maybelater.com), March 31, 1999.

Eeewwww! Is this for real? This wins the award for grossest TimeBomb thread. EEEEEeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwww

-- Leska (allaha@earthlink.net), April 01, 1999.

Waste not...want not!! As a kid I adored liverwurst...never related it to LIVER! My brother-in-law loves good food so can't imagine him eating anything icky...does like stuff really hot though. I ate a chocolate covered ant once...this can't be any worse...use the head meat for tamales and they are certainly yummy enough. We'll see....

-- MUTTI (windance @train.missouri.org), April 01, 1999.

ROTFLMAO @ Leska

-- Vic (Roadrunner@compliant.com), April 01, 1999.

the only spices you need are salt, pepper, onions, and LOTS of finely minced garlic. trust me on this.

-- jocelyne slough (jonslough@tln.net), April 01, 1999.