# Recipe Thread revived...The Nasty Bits



## Elle (Oct 25, 2010)

We bought 1/4 of a pig from our farm-bred meat source (HopeHill Farm on Saltspring) this year, and among other parts, I have one half of THIS gracing my freezer:










I was going to try making head cheese...I've got the 1/2 head, plus a pair of trotters in the freezer. Anybody done this? I was thinking of trying this recipe...

The Nasty Bits: Pig's Head | Serious Eats : Recipes


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## Diztrbd1 (Apr 21, 2010)

I hope in the end...that looks and taste better that it looks now lol


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## barvinok (Nov 20, 2011)

Should be very tasty. I do not think that you need trotters for this-enough gelatin in a head itself


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## Elle (Oct 25, 2010)

> I hope in the end...that looks and taste better that it looks now lol


Yeah, it's a little weird opening the freezer and having something actually stare back at you...


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

lol I know what you mean, we try to have a full pig bbq each summer, all those bits go in the freezer until they're composted.


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## onefishtwofish (Apr 21, 2010)

I can ask my dad how to make it.......he was a pig farmer for years and he did his own stuff like this. I would never eat it but he enjoyed it very much. 
ok. so your need to split the head with an axe or saw so u have enough room in the pot for the liquids to bubble up and around without boiling over.

take out the eyes and any extra hair and whiksers you can
add salt pepper and garlic to the water while it cooks. 
boil until tender. the meat will fall off the bones
grind with a grinder and let cool.
once cool scrape off excess gel then bag and freeze.

he says the garlic is what gives it most of the flavor


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## snailies3 (Mar 29, 2013)

I'm vegetarian so this makes me sad x.x


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## Elle (Oct 25, 2010)

If it makes you less sad, this was a very happy pig until it ended up in my freezer.  It lived out its life as a pasture/free range farm pig and was processed locally, so no crappy restricted life and no transport stress. I don't support factory farms or inhumanely raised or slaughtered meat.

onefishtwofish, thanks to your dad for the recipe! it's only 1/2 the head (split lengthwise), and I have a stock pot to fit it. I just need to pick a weekend when I have the full day to be around to cook it! If he has any recommendations for trotters, I've got 2 of those as well.


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

And on the plus side, even the head is being utilized instead of discarded.


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## onefishtwofish (Apr 21, 2010)

I will ask him.


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## onefishtwofish (Apr 21, 2010)

ok...........so cook the feet with the head with the skin on, then remove the skin when they r done and grind it into the head cheese.
as you mix it all and through out the cookning process, do taste test to make sure your seasoning r not t o week or strong to your taste.
or you can do the feet separately and they will make thier own headcheese type sausage.


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## onefishtwofish (Apr 21, 2010)

Do you have a grinder?


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## Elle (Oct 25, 2010)

> Do you have a grinder?


Yup. (thank you, KitchenAid)


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## onefishtwofish (Apr 21, 2010)

those kitchen aids r great. i have one of the very first from the early 50's its made by kenmore. very powerful and super heavy, made from iron i think


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