Post by: sumpnz on January 11, 2017, 09:19:44 PM
I'm thinking about maybe smoking the head for a couple/few hours before I boil it. Good idea or bad idea? My smoker is tough to keep under 130F even when it's below freezing out. I can crank it up as high as maybe 250F, but 220F is easier to hold. Would I need to salt it like I normally do for meat, or since it would go into near boiling water shortly for a few hours after coming out of the smoker is that a moot point from a food safety perspective?
I've never made head cheese before. The stuff in the grocery stores always looked so gross I never understood why anyone would want to eat it. But then I heard about how it's traditionally made, and that looked a whole lot more appetizing, so figured that rather than throw away all that meat I'd at least give it a shot. Nothing to lose but a bit of time.
Post by: Boss .300 winmag on January 11, 2017, 09:22:36 PM
Post by: sumpnz on January 11, 2017, 09:30:10 PM
This post will defiantly need pics to keep us entertained. :tung:
Ha! Will update with pics when I make it.
Post by: Boss .300 winmag on January 11, 2017, 09:38:18 PM
This post will defiantly need pics to keep us entertained. :tung:
Ha! Will update with pics when I make it.
Plus pics of first taste test? :puke:
Post by: sumpnz on January 11, 2017, 09:40:18 PM
This post will defiantly need pics to keep us entertained. :tung:
Ha! Will update with pics when I make it.
Plus pics of first taste test? :puke:
Absolutely. If you come on over. >:D
Post by: JJB11B on January 11, 2017, 09:50:40 PM
Post by: NRA4LIFE on January 11, 2017, 10:12:42 PM
Post by: sumpnz on January 11, 2017, 10:38:39 PM
Do you have a pig's stomach to stuff it into? That should be mandatory. DO NOT SMOKE THE HEAD. Just boil it to get all the meat/fat off. Use it all too and do not grind too fine. You want the meat very coarse. Spices should be kept to a minimum. You want this meaty tasting. Make sure you poke pin holes in the stomach after stuffing before boiling. With the elk kind of dry, you may need to use some sort of binder, or better yet some gelatin. When you cook a whole pig head for all the stuffing, you get a lot of natural gelatin from the bone. That's what binds it all together. A good head cheese is delicious.
Is not smoking the head for flavor reasons (i.e. personal preference), or is there something that smoking will do that will make it just not work? I was figuring on just smoking it for a little smokiness, not to fully cook the meat.
I'll be getting a few pigs feet that will get added to the boil to provide the gelatin.
Not planning to stuff in a stomach. Was figuring to put into some loaf pans to set it up in the fridge. Also was planning to chop (what doesn't just pull apart anyway) the meat rather than grind it. Basic idea will come from http://honest-food.net/fromage-de-tete-recipe/
Post by: Special T on January 12, 2017, 07:55:29 AM
For those of you in the Portland Vancouver wa area Gardners on Killingworth Portland has great head cheeses, pigs feet and other "odd" cuts.
Post by: Bill W on January 12, 2017, 08:33:26 AM
Post by: pianoman9701 on January 12, 2017, 08:35:29 AM
Post by: sumpnz on January 12, 2017, 08:41:05 AM
If I can get pig trotters I'll see about making it Saturday. SWMBO is taking the 3 older kids skiing, so I'll just have the youngest kid to help out (she'll be 4 in March). Might have to hold off a week or two depending on the trotters though.
Post by: NRA4LIFE on January 12, 2017, 09:26:18 AM
Bill W, my Polish grandparents made souse. I can eat just about anything, but that was gross. It was like pork-onion-vinegar jello. I get the shivers just thinking about it.
Post by: D-Rock425 on January 12, 2017, 09:34:20 AM
Post by: Buckewe on January 12, 2017, 09:51:04 AM
Post by: Special T on January 12, 2017, 10:06:41 AM
I was speaking from a pure traditional sense. Head cheese is not a smoked product. Loaf pans should work just fine. And chopping vs grinding is the preferred method IMO. You want large chunks of meat in it.I just love the different ethnic meals!
Bill W, my Polish grandparents made souse. I can eat just about anything, but that was gross. It was like pork-onion-vinegar jello. I get the shivers just thinking about it.
Post by: NRA4LIFE on January 12, 2017, 10:17:33 AM
Post by: Angry Perch on January 12, 2017, 10:21:58 AM
Post by: sumpnz on January 12, 2017, 11:24:02 AM
When you get the finished product, post some pics of it sliced. I will curious how this turns out with an elk head.
Will do.
Post by: Cowboy15 on February 03, 2017, 04:12:47 PM
Post by: sumpnz on February 03, 2017, 11:02:27 PM
Following. Would you share your recipe if it turns out?
Yes.
SWMBO wanted to make a batch of beer, so that will probably be done before the head cheese. I'm targeting the last weekend in February to make this.
Post by: mkcj on February 04, 2017, 01:56:22 AM
Post by: sumpnz on February 23, 2017, 10:35:33 AM
FWIW, if you want pigs feet for any purpose the Fred Meyer in Burlington should have a ton. They ordered some for me, and I only needed a couple feet, but I guess they got a whole box. They're frozen.
Post by: sumpnz on February 23, 2017, 10:16:11 PM
Hoping to get to it this weekend. Not totally sure that'll happen. If not, next window is at the end of March.
Post by: sumpnz on February 23, 2017, 11:03:49 PM
The recipe I have calls for wine. This will get added to a portion of the stock before it gets reduced at the end of the process. Recipe says to use any wine. The guy used a Vermouth when he did his version (didn't specify white/red let alone sweet/dry). But that was with a wild boar's head, not an elk. I'm kind of thinking a heavy red wine, like a decent Zinfandel or Cab Sauv or Syrah might be called for with an elk head.
But what say ye?
Post by: GrampasGuns on February 24, 2017, 07:59:52 PM
I am very interested to see how yours turns out, I love elk/deer charcuterie and have made alot of items just not head cheese, or what I think sounds better "tete fromage" :chuckle:
A red wine might be nice, just make sure to boil and reduce the crap out of it. I always spoon some of the reduced gelatin stock onto a small plate and set in the cooler. If after a few minutes you can hold the plate sideways and the gelatin doesnt slide off you are good.
Happy eating!
Post by: Dan-o on February 24, 2017, 08:25:17 PM
Post by: sumpnz on February 24, 2017, 08:31:22 PM
Not looking good to make it this weekend. Heading to a buddy's house to help him brew some beer tomorrow. SWMBO will likely be home too early Sunday from the women's retreat for me to want to tackle it unless I skip church entirely. Looking like it might be the end of March before I get another window with SWMBO out of town so I can make it. Either that or just make it with her around anyway, which probably won't go over too well.