Patrick Oconnell
Head cheese, also known as hog head cheese, is a meat jelly or terrine made from the head of a calf, pig, sheep, or cow. The dish is usually eaten cold, at room temperature, or in a sandwich. The parts of the head used vary but can include the tongue, snout, cheek, ears, feet, and heart. The dish is believed to have originated in Europe during the Middle Ages when peasants and serfs would make use of leftover meat scraps.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Other names | Hog head cheese, brawn, hoofdkaas, potted heid, souse, sült, syltty, tytinä, aladobi, fromage de tête, tête pressée, tête fromagée, pâté de tête, presswurst, sulz, schwartamaga, sviðasulta, testa in cassetta, coppa di testa, coppa, soppressata, formaggio di testa, presskopf, presssack, sauerer presssack, pichti, disznósajt, disznófősajt, Kaisersülze |
| Main ingredients | Meat from the head of a calf, pig, sheep, or cow; gelatin; aspic |
| Preparation | Boil animal parts, cool to form jelly, add gelatin or aspic, press into a mold with meat chunks |
| Texture | Cheese-like |
| Taste | Spicy |
| Accompaniments | Pickles, mustard, horseradish, vinegar |
| Serving style | Sliced, spread on crackers or toast, or in a sandwich |
| Origin | Europe during the Middle Ages |
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What You'll Learn
- Goat head cheese is a type of head cheese, which is a meat jelly or terrine made from the head of a calf, pig, sheep, or cow
- Head cheese is also known as hog head cheese, brawn, or souse
- The dish was first created in Europe during the Middle Ages when peasants and serfs would use the leftover scraps of meat from pigs
- To make head cheese, the selected animal parts are boiled to release their natural collagens, which form a jelly
- Goat head cheese can be served as an appetiser with crackers or toast, or in a sandwich
Goat head cheese is a type of head cheese, which is a meat jelly or terrine made from the head of a calf, pig, sheep, or cow
Head cheese, also known as hog head cheese, is a meat jelly or terrine. Despite its name, it is not a cheese and contains no dairy products. The name "head cheese" is derived from the Dutch word "hoofdkaas", which translates literally to "head cheese". The term can be divided into "hoofd" (head), referring to the animal heads used to prepare the dish, and "kaas" (cheese), describing the texture, which resembles that of cheese.
Head cheese is made by boiling the selected animal parts, which releases their natural collagens. These collagens then cool and form a jelly-like substance. This jelly is often combined with gelatin or aspic, and the mixture is pressed into a mould along with chunks of meat. The end result is a meat jelly that can be sliced and served. Head cheese is usually eaten cold, at room temperature, or in a sandwich. It is often served with crackers, pickles, and mustard.
Goat head cheese is a type of head cheese. It is made from a goat's head, which is boiled and prepared in a similar way to other head cheeses. The meat used can include the tongue, but typically does not include the brain, eyes, or ears. In addition to goats, head cheese can also be made from the heads of calves, pigs, sheep, or cows.
Variations of head cheese exist across Europe and the world, with differences in preparation and ingredients. In Germany, it is known as "Sülze", "Schwartenmagen", or "Presskopf", and in Greece, it is called "pichti". In Hungary, a variant called "disznósajt", or "pork head cheese", is made from mixed meat slices, spices, and bacon, cooked in a spicy stock and stuffed into a pig's stomach. In Iceland, "Sviðasulta" is made from a singed sheep's head, sometimes cured in lactic acid.
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Head cheese is also known as hog head cheese, brawn, or souse
Head cheese, also known as hog head cheese, brawn, or souse, is a meat jelly or terrine made from the flesh of a calf or pig's head, typically set in aspic. It is usually eaten cold, at room temperature, or in a sandwich. Despite its name, the dish does not contain any dairy products. The parts of the head used vary but often include the tongue and may sometimes include the heart, snout, cheek, and ears. Trimmings from more commonly eaten cuts of pork and veal are often used, and sometimes the feet, with gelatin added as a binder. Head cheese is believed to have originated in Europe during the Middle Ages, when lords and land barons would take the best pieces of meat, leaving the scraps for peasants and serfs, who created this concoction.
The English term "head cheese" is derived from the Dutch word "hoofdkaas", which literally translates to "head cheese". The term "brawn", on the other hand, originates from the German and Old French words for roasted meat or specific types of food. At one point in English, it referred to the meat of the wild boar, which was once abundant in Great Britain. The term "souse", a corruption of the German "Sülze", refers to the pickled variety of head cheese commonly found in North America and the West Indies.
Variations of head cheese exist worldwide, with differences in preparation and ingredients. In Estonia, it is known as "sült", and is typically made with higher-quality meat and less seasoning. In Hungary, a variant called "disznósajt" or "disznófősajt" (pork cheese or pork head cheese) is made with mixed meat slices, spices, paprika, and pieces of bacon cooked in spicy stock. Iceland's "sviðasulta" is made from cured sheep's head, while in Ireland, brawn is considered a rare delicacy made from pig's head. In Genoa, Italy, a similar dish is called "testa in cassetta" or "head in a box", and can also be found throughout central and northern Italy under different names.
In the United States, head cheese is known by various names and preparations depending on the region. In Pennsylvania, it is called "souse" and is made from pig's feet or tongue, while in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Michigan, it is known as "sulze" and is made from pork snouts and tongues. In Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, highly seasoned hog's head cheese is popular as a cold cut or appetizer, often seasoned with green onions and vinegar. In the South, head cheese is commonly made with pork and hog meat, and despite the name, may not always include head meat.
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The dish was first created in Europe during the Middle Ages when peasants and serfs would use the leftover scraps of meat from pigs
Head cheese, or "brawn", is a meat jelly or terrine made of meat. It is usually eaten cold, at room temperature, or in a sandwich. Despite its name, the dish is not a cheese and contains no dairy products. The dish was first created in Europe during the Middle Ages when peasants and serfs would use the leftover scraps of meat from pigs, as well as calves, sheep, and cows. The parts of the head used vary, and may include the tongue but do not commonly include the brain, eyes, or ears. Trimmings from more commonly eaten cuts of pork and veal are often used, and sometimes the feet and heart, with gelatin added as a binder.
The process of making head cheese involves boiling the selected animal parts, which releases their natural collagens. These collagens cool and form a kind of jelly. This jelly is often amplified with gelatin or aspic, and the whole mixture is pressed into a mold along with the chunks of meat. The end result looks a lot like a terrarium, except instead of a beautiful ecosystem encased in glass, it’s a horrorshow of pig parts visible through the sheen of a clear, savory jelly.
Head cheese is believed to have originated in Europe during the Middle Ages. At this time, lords and land barons would get all the best pieces of meat, leaving the scraps for peasants and serfs. With limited options, they had to come up with creative ways to use these leftovers, and thus head cheese was born. The name "head cheese" likely comes from the Latin "forma", which is the root of the French word for cheese, "fromage". "Forma" refers to the mold used to make both terrines and cheese. The term "head cheese" in English is a calque derived from the Dutch word "hoofdkaas", which literally translates to "head cheese".
Variations of head cheese exist throughout Europe and elsewhere, with differences in preparation and ingredients. For example, in Hungary, a variant of head cheese called disznósajt, or disznófősajt (pork cheese or pork head cheese), is made of mixed meat slices (especially from the head of the pig), spices, paprika, and pieces of bacon cooked in spicy stock. The chopped meat is then stuffed into the pig's stomach, similar to Scottish haggis, and pricked with needles. The mixture is then pressed down with weights to remove excess fat and make it tight and compact. In Estonia, Sült is a similar dish to the German or Croatian version but is usually less seasoned and made from higher-quality meat. It tends to be a rather loose form of head cheese with a higher aspic-to-meat ratio, and the aspic is soft enough that the dish would start to slightly fall apart if left at room temperature.
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To make head cheese, the selected animal parts are boiled to release their natural collagens, which form a jelly
Head cheese, also known as hog head cheese, is a dish that originated in Europe during the Middle Ages. It is made by boiling selected animal parts, typically from a calf, pig, sheep, or cow. The process of boiling releases the natural collagens from the meat, which then form a jelly-like substance. This jelly is then amplified with the addition of gelatin or aspic, and the mixture is pressed into a mould along with chunks of meat.
The name "head cheese" is derived from the Dutch word "hoofdkaas", which translates literally to "head cheese". The term combines "hoofd", meaning head, and "kaas", meaning cheese, referring to the texture of the dish, which resembles that of cheese. Despite its name, head cheese does not contain any dairy products.
The specific animal parts used in head cheese vary but often include the tongue, snout, cheek, and ears. Sometimes, the heart and feet may also be included. In some cultures, head cheese is made from the head of a pig, while other variations use sheep, calf, or cow heads.
The process of making head cheese involves boiling the selected animal parts, often with various spices and seasonings, to release their natural collagens. This results in a broth that, once cooled, transforms into a jelly-like substance. The jelly is then enhanced with additional gelatin or aspic, creating a clear, savoury coating around the meat chunks. The mixture is then pressed into a mould, forming a terrarium-like shape.
Head cheese is typically served cold or at room temperature, and it can be sliced and used in sandwiches or spread on crackers or toast like pâté. While some people enjoy this dish, others find it unappetizing due to the visible pig parts suspended in the jelly.
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Goat head cheese can be served as an appetiser with crackers or toast, or in a sandwich
Goat head cheese, or simply head cheese, is not actually cheese. It is a meat jelly or terrine made from the meat and flesh of an animal's head, typically a calf, pig, sheep, or cow. The parts of the head used vary but may include the tongue, snout, cheek, ears, and sometimes the heart and feet. The meat is boiled and then set in aspic or gelatin, giving it a jelly-like texture and appearance.
In different parts of the world, head cheese is known by various names. In North America, it is called head cheese, while in Scotland, it is known as potted heid. In Britain and Australia, it is called brawn, and in Germany, it is known as Sülze, Schwartenmagen, or Presskopf. In Estonia, a similar dish called sült is made with higher-quality meat and less seasoning, resulting in a looser form of head cheese with a higher aspic-to-meat ratio. In France and Belgium, head cheese is referred to as fromage de tête, tête pressée, tête fromagée, or pâté de tête.
Preparing and cooking goat head cheese involves boiling the selected animal parts, which releases their natural collagens. The collagens then cool and form a jelly-like substance. This jelly is then amplified with gelatin or aspic, and the mixture is pressed into a mould along with the chunks of meat. The end result is a terrine-like dish with a clear, savoury jelly and visible chunks of meat.
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