Head cheese

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zzerru

Meat Mopper
Original poster
SMF Premier Member
Apr 14, 2007
182
108
Ann Arbor
It’s that time of year. I helped my friend slaughter two hogs to put up for the winter and I returned with the hogs’ heads — so it’s time to make head cheese.

I brine the heads first to cure them after removing the eyes and brains (a tomahawk works great for that). Then I smoked the heads for 2 hours over cherry at 275F. I then simmered them for 4 hours in a stock flavored with herbs, spices and wine. I then pull the heads out and let them cool a bit before picking all the meat and bits off the head.

All of that goes into loaf pans and then I strain the stock and pour it in the pans to cover the meat. That goes into the fridge to set up as all the gelatin from the head is in the stock and will firm up solid. After that, it’s good to eat!

The old gods are pleased.
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Out of the smoker
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Picked clean
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Looks fantastic! I love head cheese! Some onion,vinegar ,rye bread and big glass of beer.(vodka in my case lol).haven't made any recently and yours looks great. So just meat and broth? No vegetables?
 
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Looks fantastic! I love head cheese! Some onion,vinegar ,rye bread and big glass of beer.(vodka in my case lol).haven't made any recently and yours looks great. So just meat and broth? No vegetables?
No veggies in ours. What vegetables do you typically add? That’s interesting.
 
When we have made it, the boil includes carrot, onion, celery, garlic and sometimes herbs. It all gets strained out of the broth but is there for flavor.
 
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Dang'it man, that looks delicious!

I love Head Cheese and Souse, gimme a box of Triscuits and some good cheese to compliment it.

I've seen a lot of Head Cheese and Souse that has lots of minced herbs and veggies mixed in.
The herbs and veggies get strained out, minced and mixed back into the meat.
It sounds like I’m going to have to add veggies to the stock next time and try it out since so many folks are vouching for it.
 
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What an awesome thread! Thanks for sharing… as said this is great to see due to we don’t need another culinary art to go by the wayside! Again, awesome and nicely done!
 
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