Head cheese is a type of gelatinous meat that originated in Europe during the Middle Ages. It is most commonly made by filling a pan with boiled meat stripped from a hog’s head and the stock before chilling it until set to form a jellylike consistency. Typically served cold, head cheese is held together by a natural gelatin that forms when the collagen is released from the head as it cooks. It is often substituted for deli meat in a sandwich or enjoyed with crusty bread.
Recipe Servings: 6
Prep Time
20 minutes
+ 12 hours resting
+ 12 hours resting
Cook Time
24 hours
Total Time
36 hours 20 minutes
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Kosher
Halal
Ingredients
- 1 hog head, cleaned (removal of eyes, ears, tongue, and brain are optional and based on preference)
- Water, as needed
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- Sea salt, to taste
Directions
- Place the head in a very large stockpot and cover it with water.
- Bring the water to a slow simmer, cover the pot, and cook for up to 24 hours or until the meat is tender and falling apart.
- Transfer the meat to a large platter, leaving the liquid in the pot, and let it cool until able to be handled.
- Pick the meat from the bones and place it in a large bowl.
- Season the meat with pepper and a generous amount of salt.
- Return the cooking liquid to an aggressive simmer and cook until reduced and slightly thickened.
- Place the shredded meat into a loaf pan lined with a large piece of plastic wrap that hangs over the sides.
- Pour the reduced liquid over the meat until the pan is full and the meat is submerged.
- Fold the plastic wrap over the top of the pan and chill it in the refrigerator for a minimum of overnight to ensure the headcheese is set.
- Remove the headcheese from the refrigerator, turn it out onto a cutting board, slice it into the desired size pieces, and serve cold with crusty bread or in a sandwich, if desired.
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