Ukrainian Hog's Head (Head Cheese)
- Ready In:
- 5hrs 30mins
- Ingredients:
- 6
- Serves:
-
6-8
ingredients
- 1 pig head, with tongue
- 1 tablespoon salt, as needed (or more)
- 1 onion, quartered
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 10 peppercorns
directions
- Have the hog's head cut into quarters by the meat dealer.
- Remove the brains, teeth, snout, and eyes, but retain the ears.
- Cut off the fattest part of the head for lard. Scrape and wash each piece thoroughly. Wash, trim, scald, and skin the tongue.
- Soak the meat in cold water to cover for 30 minutes to extract the blood.
- Drain and wash again. Cover the meat with fresh cold water; add the salt, bring to a boil, and skim. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.
- Then add the remaining ingredients and continue cooking until the meat separates from the bones.
- This will take about 5 hours or longer. Be sure to simmer the meat over a LOW heat during the entire period of cooking. Rapid boiling will make the meat stock milky in color.
- Drain off the meat stock and save it.
- Remove the onion, garlic, and spices. Pick out all the bones from the meat. Cut the meat into coarse pieces.
- The stock may be flavoured with a freshly crushed clove of garlic and then strained.
- Season the stock to taste.
- If a firm jelly is desired, soften 1 tablespoon of gelatin in 1/4 cup of cold water and then stir into the hot stock.
- Put the meat into a mold and add enough strained stock to cover it. Chill thoroughly. Remove the fat from the top. Serve in slices.
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
Olha7397
Canada