Favorite Headcheese
Submitted by shelle1970
Old-fashioned headcheese from pig knuckles simmered with onion, cloves and cinnamon, then chilled into a savory aspic terrine. A heritage charcuterie.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
50 minREADY
1 hrsHeadcheese (also called brawn or souse in different regions) isn’t actually cheese at all. It’s a cold-set savory terrine made from the natural gelatin that simmers out of pig knuckles, with cooked meat suspended throughout. This simple version uses just pig knuckles, onion, salt and a warm spice combination of cloves and cinnamon.
The whole technique relies on the collagen-rich connective tissue in the knuckles. Long, slow cooking breaks that collagen down into gelatin, which is what makes the broth set into a sliceable jelly when chilled. There are no added gelatin packets here, just the meat doing what it does.
Measuring equal amounts of meat and cooking water for the second simmer ensures the right ratio of solids to gelatin in the finished terrine. Too much liquid and the headcheese is loose and wobbly. Too little and you get pure meat without the characteristic translucent jelly.
Cloves and cinnamon are the traditional German and Scandinavian flavorings for this dish. They warm and round out the porky flavor without dominating. A pinch is enough, more turns the headcheese into something that tastes like dessert.
Chilling overnight is essential. The gelatin needs at least 8 hours to fully set into a sliceable terrine. Slicing too early gives mushy, falling-apart pieces that don’t hold their shape on the plate.
Serve sliced thin on rye bread with strong mustard, pickled onions, or horseradish, the classic Old World accompaniments.
Chef Tips
- Ask your butcher to split the pig knuckles for you. Whole knuckles take much longer to cook through.
- Skim foam off the top of the cooking liquid as the knuckles simmer. This gives a clearer, more attractive aspic.
- Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the cooling terrine to prevent a skin forming.
- For a more attractive presentation, line a loaf pan with plastic wrap before pouring in the headcheese for easy unmolding.
Variations
- Add 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar to the second simmer for a tangier Scandinavian-style souse.
- Stir in chopped fresh parsley and a clove of minced garlic with the spices for color and flavor.
- Mold in small ramekins for individual servings perfect for charcuterie boards.
Ingredients
Directions
Place the knuckles in pot and add enough water to level of meat. Add salt and pepper to taste and the minced onion. Cook until meat is well cooked then remove meat from water and cool.
Save water. When meat is cooled trim off meat from bones and measure equal amounts of meat and water, return to pot and add the cloves and cinnamon. Let simmer 20 min. Then pour into bowl and refrigerate.
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