Head Cheese Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Here are two simple ways to prepare a whole pig's head, one of them being the famous head cheese, which as nothing to do with cheese and is very Paleo.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword head, head cheese, pig

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Total Time 15 5

Servings people

Calories 6kcal

Cost 10

Ingredients

A whole pig head;
5 or 6 garlic cloves;
Optionally some vegetables are cut into large cubes to flavor the stock (carrots, leeks, onions, and celery are all good options);
2 bay leaves;
Salt and pepper to taste optional.

Instructions

Place the whole head in a large pot and cover it with cold water.
A whole pig head;
Add the aromatic vegetables, crushed garlic cloves, salt and pepper, and bay leaves. Since the stock will be part of the final dish, it’s important to give it some taste with either aromatic vegetables or spices or both.
5 or 6 garlic cloves;, Optionally, Salt and pepper to taste, 2 bay leaves;
Slowly bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and let simmer until the meat is fork tender (about 3 hours).
Remove the head from the water, wait until the meat can be picked without burning yourself, and then pick the meat in small pieces and place it in a shallow container.
Put the skull back in hot water and simmer for another 6 to 24 hours. The longer you let it go, the more will be extracted from the bones and the more gelatinous it will get when cooled.
Once the stock is done, pour some over the cooked pork meat, just enough to cover.
Place the container in the refrigerator and let it cool.
Enjoy your lovely homemade head cheese!

Nutrition