This is a more "civil" and acceptable recipe for head cheese:
Head Cheese
1/2 lb pork (or 2 pork hocks)
4 onions
1 garlic clove
1 pinch cloves
1 pinch cinnamon
Yield: 12 servings
Let meat stand in cold water 1/2 hour. Drain.
Brown meat. Cover with cold water.
Add onions, salt and pepper.
Cook until tender.
Remove from heat and cool.
Strain broth.
Chop or grind meat.
Combine 1 cup meat to 2 cups broth.
Add seasonings. Let simmer.
Rinse a mould with cold water.
Pour into mould.
Cool and set 3 hours.
Hogs Head Cheese
This old fashioned staple down on the bayou may take a long time to prepare, but the final result is well worth it. Despite its name, the dish is not cheese, but is pork in aspic.
6 carrots - peeled
6 onions
11 celery stalks
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 hog's head - skin on - cleaned
Cheesecloth - about 9 feet
Butcher's string
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
8 gallons pork stock
2 red bell peppers - diced
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano
2 teaspoons minced fresh marjoram
2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
Pickled okra
Bread and butter pickles
Pecan bread - sliced and toasted
Red leaf lettuce or other baby greens
Preheat oven to 350?F. On a baking sheet place 4 whole carrots, 4 halved onions, and 8 celery stalks and toss with 2 tablespoons oil. Roast in oven for 1 hour.
Rinse hog's head in salt water. Fold cheesecloth in 4 and place hog's head on it. Season hog inside and out with salt and pepper. Wrap cheesecloth around head and tie with butcher's string. Place roasted vegetables in a 20 gallon stockpot and place hog's head on top. Cover hog with pork stock and simmer 24 hours - skimming away foam every hour.
Carefully remove hog's head and strain stock into another large pot. Reduce stock over high heat for 3 hours.
Remove string from hog's head and let stand until cool enough to handle. Pick meat from head and set aside. If using tongue - peel off top skin - and chop all meat together.
In a large skillet heat vegetable oil until hot but not smoking. Dice remaining 2 carrots, 2 onions, 3 celery stalks and add to skillet with red pepper. Saute vegetables for 5 minutes or until wilted.
In a bowl toss together saut?ed vegetables, chopped meat, fresh herbs, Creole seasoning, and salt and pepper.
Divide meat mixture among ramekins (number of servings will depend on size of hog's head available). Do not pack meat. Ladle hot stock over meat and chill for 8 hours or overnight - until set.
Run a knife around ramekins edge and dip bottom of ramekins in hot water. Invert ramekins onto plates and serve with an assortment of pickles, pickled okra, lettuce and bread. Serves at least 8.
I know that every time our family (older generations) had suckling pig - they made head cheese, pickled the pig's feet, etc.
I'll pass on it! Although - the first recipe I posted I would eat - because it was made with "pork" and not the other parts."