When somebody gifts you half of a head (yes I said a head) of some of Alberta’s finest pork do you say no because you don’t know what to do with it, or do you blindly and enthusiastically say yes(!) and figure out what exactly to do with it later? If you are me, you go with option two – take the head, learn to make head cheese at home.
This recently actually happened to me.
Taking a Permaculture Design Course (PDC) with Verge Permaculture here in Calgary is my chosen learning project for this year. My interest in traditional nutrition has just kept growing over the past few years. Coupled with my concern for the environment and my enthusiasm for gardening permaculture design is a seamless fit.
What is permaculture? Permaculture is a system for designing land in such a way as to mimic nature as closely as possible. It is governed by principles that ask us to observe natural patterns, make the most of the resources that we have at our disposal while caring for the land and sharing the rewards with others.
Permaculture asks us to not just live sustainably, but to live regeneratively. That is, to leave the land better than we found it. It’s a pretty great ideal, and it is doable. I hope it is the agriculture of the future. If you want to get a sense of its benefit, watch The Biggest Little Farm on Netflix, or any of the Greening the Desert videos on Youtube.
Anyway, the day that the head arrived our PDC class was taught by a young man named Takota Coen. Takota and his parents farm a piece of land in central Alberta using exactly these principles. They are doing amazing things in regenerating their land and producing incredible quality food while doing it. I want to support these folks and others like them so I had previously placed an order for some of the pastured beef and pork from their farm.
When Takota brought me my order somebody else had not picked up their order – some pork fat and the half head. My lucky day 🙂 There was no question I’d be taking it – with gratitude. I do believe that if we are going to take the life of an animal that we should do our utmost to be respectful and use as much of it as possible.
The pork back fat will go into a future sausage and the kidney fat was immediately rendered into fresh lard. But what to do with the head? Well, after a bit of Google research it turns out that the most obvious thing to do with a hog’s head is make hog’s head cheese. Duh.
Head cheese is not something that everybody loves, but Steve definitely does. This is one of those traditional foods that was invented to use up every last bit of the animal – the original nose to tail eating. Like so many traditional foods it is not only frugal but it is tasty – and it is really good for us. Though it sounds kinda disgusting it really is just bits of tender pork meat suspended in quality pork bone broth that is thick enough to gel once in the refrigerator.
That bone broth offers a host of health benefits including nurturing our joints, hair, nails and bones. You don’t even really need a head to make this dish. Any cut that works well for pork bone broth, like pork hocks, trotters or other bones, would work. So, you don’t need to score a hog’s head to give it a go. This definitely makes it more approachable, though perhaps not quite as nose-to-tailish.
Much like making soup, once the head has boiled with aromatics for several hours the meat is removed and shredded. It is then pressed into a plastic wrap lined terrine (or loaf) pan, covered with broth and refrigerated.
The toughest part of making this dish for me was trying to clarify my broth.
A nice clear broth to suspend the meat in isn’t essential but it makes the finished product look nice. I had watched a video that made doing this look really easy. I struggled to get mine to clarify fully, but ultimately it’s a visual thing not a flavor thing so after trying twice to make the broth super clear I finally gave up and just used it as is.
Once set slice carefully with a very sharp knife and serve. It is traditional to serve with a splash of your favorite vinegar.
I’m pretty happy with the result, and so is Steve.
What do you think? Would you take it if someone gifted you a hog’s head?
Ingredients
- 1/2 hog's head
- 1-2 med onions chopped roughly
- 3 stalks celery cut into 3" lengths
- 3 carrots cut into 3" lengths
- 2 whole bay leaves
- 12 whole peppercorns
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
- small bunch fresh herbs such as parsley, rosemary, thyme tied together
- 2 tbsp kosher salt
- Cold water to cover
- 1/2 lemon juiced
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped
- white or apple cider vinegar to taste, optional
Instructions
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Place all ingredients into a large stock pot, adding just enough cold water to cover. Cover pot and bring to a soft boil for about 5 hours.
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Remove pot from heat and let cool for about 20 minutes.
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Remove vegetables and set aside in a small bowl. Crush with a fork or a potato masher.
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Remove meat and bones to a cutting board. Pick through to separate meat from bones, shredding larger chunks somewhat. Set aside in another bowl. You can also save a small amount of the fattier bits if you like a bit of fat in your head cheese.
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Strain the broth through a sieve to remove any remaining vegetables or other bits. Return broth to the pot. If you wish to clarify the broth further, allow it to cool for another 20 minutes.
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Add two egg whites to the vegetables, beating gently to mix thoroughly. Pour mixture into slightly cooled broth, giving a gentle stir to incorporate.
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Return pot to stove over low heat. Heat very slowly JUST to a simmer – do not boil. The vegetables and egg mix should form a film over the top of the broth, bringing any additional solids to the top with it. After about 20 minutes gently push the solids from the center to the sides to make a ladle sized hole in the vegetable 'raft'. Simmer for another 15-20 minutes watching that the broth does not boil.
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Line a fine sieve with a piece of wet cotton (a cloth napkin works). Gently ladle the clear broth into the sieve to further clarify your broth.
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Generously season shredded meat with salt and pepper and a good squeeze of lemon juice. Pour meat into plastic wrapped lined pan. Pour broth over just to cover, pressing into corners gently to remove any air pockets. Fold wrap over to cover.
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Place into refrigerator for at least 8 hrs or overnight
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Slice and serve with a bit of vinegar.
Recipe Notes
This recipe makes a generous amount and is pretty perishable, lasting just a few days fresh. You can slice it into a few larger pieces with a sharp knife. Wrap and freeze individual pieces, wrapping again more tightly once frozen. It should keep about 2 months in the freezer.
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