Howdee Howdee....... I had been planning this for awhile, but it took some time to cure the pork. Yada, Yada, yada, you know how to cure pork. I bought a bunch of fresh hocks and trotters a couple a weeks back. I had the hock cut in 1/3's cause thats how I like 'em. Then I had to find and clean the curing bucket. It looks so miserably lonely. 10 days in the "The Cure". I pulled 8 hocks and 2 trotters from my sweet maple cure, leaving the rest to be smoked later.
I have never seen or tasted anyone use cured pork to make head cheese. I have seen nearly everything in head cheese (some I wish I could forget), but don't remember a cured cheese. Hey, why not try it!
First, I rinsed the pork and looked all over for an appropreiate sized cooking container. Added water to cover, and put on the fire.
Added some favors to the pot for boiling.
Boiled for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours, till all was tender and delicious. You know how hard all that ooey gooey fat and skin is to just not sit down and scarf down immediately?
Meat was stripped chopped and mashed. That there is cured pork tartare! Ok, ok, its cooked cured pork tartare. Sheesh!
Here on the pictures were not taken, what is delicious in my mouth is greasy on my hands and I opted to miss the pictures and rely upon my powers of oration to get me past it.
The skin, was stripped and scrapped and sliced very thin, in long slices. Since I had no ear gristle I thought this might work.
I cooked down the liquid a little futher while adding 1 cap full of liquid onion, and 2 caps full of liquid garlic. I tasted this after reducing and it was so hot it brought tears to my eyes. But the finished product was perfect. Another lucky mistake!
I chopped some fresh green onions, celery leaves, and a bit of roasted garlic.
I added the chopped veggies and sliced skin to the chopped meat, seasoned with Tony's, Lea & Perins, Tabasco, Cayenne together and mixed. I then added the reduced liquid. This I packed in pre-lined small bread loaves (wasn't enough made to use Pop's head cheese multi trays).
Into the reefer over night and Voila! "Cured Head Cheese"
Thought I would try another picture first one is a bit fuzzy.
And to check them for taste, I cut some and prepared for a cold beer and a football game.
Its difinately different. I like it! Ok, the games on........
Later tater.
I have never seen or tasted anyone use cured pork to make head cheese. I have seen nearly everything in head cheese (some I wish I could forget), but don't remember a cured cheese. Hey, why not try it!
First, I rinsed the pork and looked all over for an appropreiate sized cooking container. Added water to cover, and put on the fire.
Added some favors to the pot for boiling.
Boiled for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours, till all was tender and delicious. You know how hard all that ooey gooey fat and skin is to just not sit down and scarf down immediately?
Meat was stripped chopped and mashed. That there is cured pork tartare! Ok, ok, its cooked cured pork tartare. Sheesh!
Here on the pictures were not taken, what is delicious in my mouth is greasy on my hands and I opted to miss the pictures and rely upon my powers of oration to get me past it.
The skin, was stripped and scrapped and sliced very thin, in long slices. Since I had no ear gristle I thought this might work.
I cooked down the liquid a little futher while adding 1 cap full of liquid onion, and 2 caps full of liquid garlic. I tasted this after reducing and it was so hot it brought tears to my eyes. But the finished product was perfect. Another lucky mistake!
I chopped some fresh green onions, celery leaves, and a bit of roasted garlic.
I added the chopped veggies and sliced skin to the chopped meat, seasoned with Tony's, Lea & Perins, Tabasco, Cayenne together and mixed. I then added the reduced liquid. This I packed in pre-lined small bread loaves (wasn't enough made to use Pop's head cheese multi trays).
Into the reefer over night and Voila! "Cured Head Cheese"
Thought I would try another picture first one is a bit fuzzy.
And to check them for taste, I cut some and prepared for a cold beer and a football game.
Its difinately different. I like it! Ok, the games on........
Later tater.
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