Cooked pig’s head

Press, 11 February 1981, Page 10

Cooked pig’s head

What do you do with a pig’s head?, I’ve been asked this question quite a lot . recently. Sometimes, when half a carcase is purchased in bulk, the head is included in the deal. Pigs’ heads are sometimes included in supermarket displays, too, especially when pork is . “bn special.” - . • There are mftny different things you can do with a pig’s head -— all of them good. But many of them call for boning skills,. or curing before cooking. . : . % ' This recipe is the easiest one I have. It produces enough well-fla-voured cold meat for eight or more servings, and as a bonus, you get stock for : later use. Put the head, cut side down, in a roasting pan. Don’t remove anything before cooking — it’s much easier after cooking. Pour 1 litre (4 cups) water into the pan, then add.— 2 (level) tablespoons salt 2 tablespoons brown sugar 3-4 squashed garlic cloves 1 bayleaf 6 peppercorns If you- have these berries and like a spicier mixture, you can add a few whole allspice berries, juniper berries, ginger root and or cloves. (This makes a concentrated salty brine, but the - head needs a lot of seasoning if it has not been salted or cured before cooking.) If you have extra pieces such as hocks, shanks or trotters, you can put them in the pan with the head. Cover ros.ting pan and bake at 150 C (300 F for two hours or until the meat is so tender it will fall away from the bones. The time will vary with the age of the pig. Overcook rather than undercook, or the boning will be difficult. Baste, or turn the meat occasionally, during cooking, so the liquid comes in contact with all surfaces. Let the meat cool in the stock until it is cool enough to handle, then pour the stock into a bowl or jug. Remove the fat from the surface. With skin side down, lift the bones away from the meat. Make sure all the pieces of meat are removed from the bone. Discard the eye and any dark or discoloured pieces. (a) Cut meat into pieces.Discard skin and very fatty pieces, but i

• : watch that-pieces that <. look like fat are not . ' light coloured meat. Leave some-pieces big and cut others into Icm cubes. Or (b) Mince meat, skin and fat. V When mincing meat for brawn, • all of it can be used, unless it;- is exceptionally fatty, when some of the fat should be discarded. You will need two cups of liquid to surround the meat. Taste some of the stock. If it seems very salty, dilute it with water. If .not, strain it and use it without dilution. Measure one tablespoon of gelatine into a saucepan. Add two to three tablespoons of cold water and leave gelatine for two to three minutes to soften. Then add the stock. Mince, or chop very finely in a blender or food processor, or grate, two large onions. Put these in the saucepan with the stock and gelatine. Add i teaspoon of dried sage, or one or two sprigs of fresh sage, finely chopped. Add the minced or cut up meat, bring mixture to boil, and .simmer for two minutes. Pcur mixture into loaf tins or bowls, and leave to set. Make sure all cubes of meat are pushed under the surface of the liquid before it sets. Notes: Brawn made from cubed meat has a most attractive appearance, with pieces of )vhite, pale pink and dark pink meat set in a clean jelly with a greenish tinge.Brawn made from minced meat is less interesting in appearance, but is more economical, since skin etc is Used too. Make sure onion pieces are very small, or they will not cook in the short time, and the brawn will be hard to slice. Longer cooking alters the flavour. Bones, .skin, fat and scraps should be reboiled (or recooked in roasting pan) with unused, strained stock diluted with water to cover bones. This stock may be used in any soups, casseroles etc.

Use meat from trotters etc in the brawn or put them aside to eat cold, or to reheat and serve with, parsley sauce.