Patrick Oconnell
Head cheese is a traditional dish that uses all parts of a pig's head to create a mosaic of meat and broth. It is not a dairy product, despite its name, but rather a natural jelly with chunks of tender pork meat suspended in a clear liquid made from gelatin. The dish is prepared by cleaning the pig's head, boiling it with spices and vegetables, shredding the meat, and then setting it in a loaf mould with the broth to cool and solidify. The resulting meat jelly can be sliced and served with vinegar, mustard, and pickles.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | A meat jelly or terrine made of meat |
| Origin | Europe, Middle Ages |
| Ingredients | Meat from the head of a calf or pig, less commonly a sheep or cow |
| Parts of the head used | Tongue, but not the brain, eyes or ears |
| Other ingredients | Gelatin, vinegar, salt, mustard, pickles, carrots, greens, horseradish, paprika, black pepper, garlic |
| Preparation | Simmered to produce a naturally gelatinous stock that congeals as it cools |
| Serving temperature | Cold or at room temperature |
| Serving suggestions | Bread, crackers, sandwich, salad |
| Variations | Souse (pickled with vinegar), Sült (German variety with higher aspic to meat ratio), Syltty (Finnish variety), Fromage de tête (French variety), Švargla (Serbian variety with special seasoning and cuts of meat) |
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What You'll Learn
Head cheese can be served with vinegar, mustard, or pickles
Head cheese, an old family recipe, is a tasty, nutritious, and frugal dish. It is made by boiling a pig's head and letting the meat gel in its broth. The dish is served cold, cut into slices, and tastes mildly spiced and porky, similar to ham.
Another way to serve head cheese is to slice it into 1" sticks and put them into a gallon jar with cold vinegar, jalapenos, coarse black pepper, and carrot spears. Let them pickle for a few days. This is a great snack for a hot summer day.
Additionally, head cheese can be served with a bit of vinegar and salt. It can also be used to make a sandwich with slightly toasted bread, fresh summer tomatoes, and crunchy lettuce.
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It can be eaten with bread, crackers, or sandwiches
Head cheese, an organ sausage or meat jelly, is often served cold or at room temperature. It is commonly eaten with bread, crackers, or sandwiches.
When serving head cheese with bread, it is recommended to spread the meat onto a mold and pour warm gelatin liquid over it. It is then chilled overnight and served. Some recipes suggest adding herbs or spices to the broth for added flavor.
Head cheese can also be served with crackers. It is commonly treated like a pâté, where the head cheese is spread onto pre-made rolls or crackers.
Additionally, head cheese can be added to sandwiches. It can be tossed into a sandwich with some light mustard and lettuce, providing a punchy flavor.
Overall, head cheese is a versatile dish that can be enjoyed in a variety of ways, making it a great appetizer or sandwich filling.
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Head cheese is made from a pig's head, tongue, or heart
Head cheese, also known as
To make head cheese, you will need a large pot, a pig's head, and enough water to cover the head. The pig's head should be cleaned and washed thoroughly, and any hair should be burnt off. The head is then boiled for several hours, after which the meat is separated from the bones and shredded. The broth is strained, and vegetables, herbs, and spices can be added for flavouring. The meat and broth are then placed in a mould and refrigerated overnight.
Head cheese can be served in a variety of ways. It can be sliced and served with vinegar, or used as a sandwich filling with mustard and lettuce. It can also be served as an appetiser on crackers, similar to pâté.
In different parts of the world, head cheese is known by different names. In Germany, it is called "Sülze", "Schwartenmagen", or "Presskopf", while in Serbia, it is called "švargla". It is a dish with a long history, originating in the Middle Ages when using as much of an animal as possible was important for survival.
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It can be frozen or refrigerated for later
Head cheese, a meat jelly or terrine made from the flesh of a calf or pig's head, can be frozen or refrigerated for later. It is usually eaten cold or at room temperature and is often served in a sandwich or on bread or crackers. It can be frozen or refrigerated for up to a week.
To prepare head cheese for freezing, it is recommended to slice it with a sharp knife and wrap it in plastic wrap, followed by double foil wrapping. It can then be stored in the freezer until needed. When ready to serve, simply remove it from the freezer and let it thaw. The fat on top of the head cheese can be removed before serving, and some people prefer to add more vinegar and salt at this stage.
Head cheese has a mildly spiced and porky flavour, similar to ham but without the gamey iron taste of liver. It is a versatile dish that can be served as an appetizer or used as a sandwich filling. When preparing head cheese, it is essential to clean the pig's head thoroughly and burn off any long hairs before processing or freezing. While it is time-consuming to make, head cheese is a delicious and rich dish that is worth the effort.
Additionally, head cheese can be made with different variations and ingredients across Europe. For example, in Germany, it is known as "Sülze," and in Greece, it is called "pichti," often incorporating vinegar. In Serbia, head cheese is called "švargla" and is made with pig's tongue, heart, kidneys, skin, and meat from the head, seasoned with paprika, salt, black pepper, and garlic. These cultural variations add to the versatility and uniqueness of head cheese as a delicacy.
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It is cooked in a large pot with water and spices
Head cheese is a meat jelly or terrine made of meat from the head of a calf or pig, less commonly a sheep or cow, typically set in aspic. It is usually eaten cold or at room temperature, or in a sandwich. Despite its name, head cheese does not contain any dairy products. The parts of the head used vary but may include the tongue and do not usually include the brain, eyes, or ears.
To cook head cheese in a large pot with water and spices, you can follow this recipe:
First, clean the pig's head thoroughly, especially the ears, and burn off any long hairs with a torch. You will need a large pot (at least 20 quarts) and enough water to cover the ingredients. Place all the ingredients into the large stock pot, adding just enough cold water to cover them. Cover the pot and bring it to a soft boil for about 5 hours. You can add any herbs or spices you want for flavouring the broth. You can also add green onions, leeks, or cloves of garlic.
After boiling, remove the pot from the heat and let it cool for about 20 minutes. Pick through to separate the meat from the bones, shredding larger chunks. You can save some of the fattier bits if you like. Strain the broth through a sieve to remove any remaining vegetables or other bits. If you wish to clarify the broth further, allow it to cool for another 20 minutes. Add two egg whites to the vegetables, beating gently to mix thoroughly. Pour the mixture into the slightly cooled broth, giving it a gentle stir. Return the pot to the stove over low heat. Heat very slowly until it just simmers—do not boil. The vegetables and egg mix should form a film over the broth, bringing any additional solids to the top. After about 20 minutes, gently push the solids from the centre to the sides to make a ladle-sized hole in the vegetable raft.
Next, reduce the cooking liquid slowly down to two cups. Dice the pork meat into cubes. Once the meat is chopped, mix it with the cooking liquid and pack it into a loaf pan. Press the meat under the liquid. Put cling film on top and chill the terrine. Unmould and trim any visible chilled fat from the loaf. After trimming, the finished head cheese can be frozen or refrigerated for a week. Slice the head cheese with a sharp knife and serve. You can also vacuum seal and freeze it for later.
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Frequently asked questions
Head cheese is not a dairy product but a wonderful, spicy appetizer mold made of pork roast. It is a mosaic pattern resembling a stained glass window of pork. It tastes mildly spiced and porky like ham.
To make head cheese, you need a large pot, a pig head, and enough water to cover nearly everything. First, clean the pig's head and burn off all the long hairs. Then, place the ingredients in a large pot, adding just enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 5 hours. Let it cool, then slice and serve with a splash of vinegar.
Head cheese can be served as an appetizer with crackers or bread. It can also be served with mustard and pickles.
