Hogs Head Cheese Recipes

HOG'S HEAD CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a 4 quart pot over medium-high heat. Add the pork roast, and brown on all sides. Reduce heat to medium, and add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic. Season with garlic, parsley, basil, salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning. Pour in 3 cups of water or pork stock, and bring to a boil.
• Cover, and simmer over medium heat for 2 hours, stirring vigorously every 15 minutes. When the pork is ready, it should be completely shredded and reduced to a stringy consistency.
• Dissolve the gelatin in 1 cup of boiling water, then stir into the pork mixture very well. Pour into a mold or casserole dish, and chill until set, about 8 hours.
• To unmold, dip the bottom of the mold in hot tap water for about 1 minute, then invert onto a serving tray. Serve with your favorite crackers.

HOG HEAD CHEESE - SOUSE - DOWN HOME RECIPE

Steps:

• Using a large stock pot; place tongues, pig's ears, pig's feet, chopped onions and cover with water.
• Add salt, pepper, peppercorns, sage, cloves, bay leaves, pickling spice, garlic powder and vinegar.
• Bring to a boil. Cook 2 1/2 hours until meat is cooked.
• Remove meat from the pot and set aside.
• Strain the broth. Measure 8 cups into another pot. Return broth to stove, and let simmer.
• Peel skin from ears, leaving the ear as intact as possible. Place the ears aside.
• Remove gristle and fat from pig's feet, and combine with ear trimmings.
• Cut off a large portion of tongue and set aside. Trim loose meat from remainder of tongue, and combine with other trimmings.
• Put trimmings through a coarse meat grinder, then stir into broth; continue to simmer.
• Slice tongues into thin strips, and place lengthwise into 2 glass loaf pans, 9x5x3 inches.
• Slice ears into thin strips, then cut the strips into 1/2 inch pieces. Arrange the ear pieces among the tongue strips.
• Chop and divide the pepperoncini between the two molds. Sprinkle with pickle relish.
• Option: You can also add chopped Piemiento if you want to.
• Dissolve gelatin in 1 cup water and stir into the simmering broth.
• Carefully ladle enough broth into each mold to completely cover the meat.
• Mix well. Let stand 15 minutes.
• Cover with remaining broth and allow to cool at room temperature for 2-3 hours until it starts to jell.
• Refrigerate for 8 to 10 hours.
• When set, remove any fat from the surface.
• Run a thin knife around the sides of the mold to release the Hog Head Cheese. Enjoy!!
• Yield 2 loaves

HOG HEAD CHEESE

Steps:

• Measure water into 5-quart saucepot. Add pork meat, pig's foot, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook until meat is tender and pig's foot can easily be boned. Approximately 3 cups of liquid should remain in saucepot. Add chopped onions, parsley flakes, celery flakes, chopped green onions, the remaining teaspoon of salt, black pepper, and red pepper. Cook about 3 minutes. Remove meat from liquid. Reserve liquid. Remove bones from meat. Place meat in food processor bowl. Chop well but do not puree. Mix chopped ingredients and reserved liquid. Pour into 9"x13"x2" pan. Chill thoroughly. Makes 60 servings of 2 Tablespoons each.

HEAD CHEESE (HOGS)

Steps:

• 1. After curing, place all meat loosley in steam kettle. Cover with sufficient amount of water. Place the pork skins in cooking net. Cook for approximately 1 1/2 - 2 hours.
• 2. After cooking, remove from kettle & let cool.
• 3. Grind pork skins through 3/16" grinder plate. Grind the remaining meat through a 1 1/2" plate.
• 4. After grinding, add the other ingredients & sufficient amount of cooking stock to arrive at a finished yield of 110% - 115%.
• 5. After the product is thoroughly mixed, stuff by hand into beef bung or hog stomach casings. Place in cooler & chill for 12 hours @ 34-36°F.
• 6. If forming is done in molds,place molds in ice water for approximately 2 hours to assist in rapid chilling.
• 7. After chilling, remove from molds & place on rack, properly spaced, in 38-40° F. cooler. Chill at this temperature overnight.
• 8. Peggi's Note: We used loaf pans or cake pans to mold it. It will remove from pan easier, if you line the pan first with aluminum foil or plastic wrap.

FRENCH CANADIAN HEAD CHEESE

Steps:

• Boil meat until very tender, adding water when necessary, save stock, remove meat. Allow meat to cool a bit and grind medium weight, then return to stock.
• Add onion and garlic powder to taste. Boil until thick.
• Add salt and pepper and allspice to taste.
• Pour into molds, cool and refrigerate until set, 3 to 4 hours.

HEAD CHEESE

Steps:

• Place pork hocks, veal shank and salt in large kettle. Cover entirely with water. Bring to full boil then reduce heat to slow simmer. Cook until fork penetrates meat easily. Periodically rearrange meat so it doesn't stick to bottom of kettle. Skim off scum which forms on top of water. Keep adding boiling water to keep meat covered until done.
• When meat is done, place on large cookie sheet for cooling. Strain remaining water into another kettle to remove any small bones and other matter; set aside strained water. Place meat on tray and cool. Remove all fat and bones. Dice remaining meat, skin and soft gristle. Add diced meat to strained water. Bring to full boil and reduce to very slow simmer. Add salt to taste at this time. Periodically test mixture to see if it sets by pouring a small amount in a bowl and putting in freezer. Mixture is set when it is the consistency of jello. Add vinegar and nutmeg and remove from heat.
• Ladle into bread pans making sure to distribute meat evenly. Fill pans no more than 3/4 full. Leave at room temperature until cool then refrigerate overnight. Next day, unmold onto plastic wrap and double wrap in foil. refrigerate until ready to use. To serve, remove any fat from top of loaves and cut into chunks. Some prefer more vinegar and salt added at this time.

HOG HEAD CHEESE

Steps:

• Clean the hog head by removing eyes, ears and brains. Saw into 4 pieces.
• Measure water into 5-quart saucepot. Add the hog head, pork meat, pig's foot, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook until meat is tender and the pig's foot and head can easily be boned. Approximately 3 cups of liquid should remain in saucepot.
• Add chopped onions, parsley flakes, celery flakes, chopped green onions, and the remaining teaspoon of salt, black pepper, and red pepper. Cook for about 3 minutes.
• Remove the meat from the liquid (but reserve the liquid). Debone the meat. Place meat in the food processor, chop well but don't puree.
• Mix together the chopped ingredients and the reserved liquid. Pour into 9x13 pan. Chill thoroughly and serve on crackers (I like it with saltines) or with boudin. Makes 60 servings of 2 tablespoons each.

HOG'S HEAD CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a 4 quart pot over medium-high heat. Add the pork roast, and brown on all sides. Reduce heat to medium, and add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic. Season with garlic, parsley, basil, salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning. Pour in 3 cups of water or pork stock, and bring to a boil.
• Cover, and simmer over medium heat for 2 hours, stirring vigorously every 15 minutes. When the pork is ready, it should be completely shredded and reduced to a stringy consistency.
• Dissolve the gelatin in 1 cup of boiling water, then stir into the pork mixture very well. Pour into a mold or casserole dish, and chill until set, about 8 hours.
• To unmold, dip the bottom of the mold in hot tap water for about 1 minute, then invert onto a serving tray. Serve with your favorite crackers.

HOGSHEAD CHEESE

Steps:

• 1. Put the cooked meat in the blender and buzz - just lightly, do not shred the meat.
• 2. Combine the first eight ingredients over medium heat for about five minutes. Turn fire off and add gelatin. Stir until completely dissolved. Remove the bay leaves and add the scallions, parsley and meat.
• 3. Pour the mixture into an oiled mold (cake pan, bread pan, etc.) and refrigerate until firm. Usually takes about 2 or 3 hours. I do it the day before. Remove from the fridge, put on a platter surrounded by crackers and enjoy!