Pig Head 'n Trotters

[SeaFood]

This weekend I'm cooking a 100lb pig in the ol' Chinese Box, but I'm at loss of what to do with the head and trotters- any ideas? I guess I could make head cheese, but never having done that(or trotters) I'm a bit unsure, and don't want to end up with a mess of a boiled head on my hands. Suggestions, tips, any ideas would be great! And no, putting it on a stake in the front yard to ward off solicitors is not an option, though it is tempting.....

Thanks!

[FunJohnny]

The article in the Washington Post suggested the pig be cooked with the head on. Beats me what you do with it afterwards -- except for the jowel meat. As for the trotters, why not leave them on while you cook the rest of the beast -- then you'd have smoked hamhocks that could be lopped off with a saw.

[Bicycle Lee]

I guess you could pickle the pig's feet....or make pig foot soup...

as for the head...I dunno, color pasta with the ocular fluid...thicken sauces with the brains and eat the jowels...

[judiu]

Brains and eggs, scrambled together, is considered a treat to some... The cheek meat is delicious fried up like bacon; smoke the ears very dry and the dogs will go NUTS over them! The rest of the meat can be picked off the bones (good job for the kids) divided up in portion quantities and frozen. When you're jones-ing for BBQ, defrost a package and heat with sauce.

My late SO did pig roasts at the drop of a hat, so I had to get used to all this stuff...

[SeaFood]

So far good ideas! Since it's going in the box, the head and feet have to come off in order for it to fit, also, some people don't like to look at Babe while they eat. I like the idea of the hocks, maybe I'll smoke those on a side grill. I guess I can remove the snout, and ears, throw them in with the rest to slow cook, and keep the cheeks for a later meal. I'm not too sure on the brains 'n eggs idea, maybe if someone with experience in that did it, but I don't trust myself going there...

[pinkpau]

The Chinese do a fantastic braise of the trotters, either in vinegar or just with dark sauce and spices and slowly cooked....absolutely gorgeous!! The tendons soften and the meat's incredibly tender! The same is done for the cheek meat (beautifully soft), ears and nose....I know...the Chinese never let any part go to waste!!

[jayt90]

This thread reminds me of a Bessie Smith classic: "Give me a pig's foot and a bottle of beer!"

Headcheese would be a good way to use a lopped off head. There are lots of recipes in older books about north Euro, Mennonite, or English cuisine (Elizabeth David has a few.)

[eunny jang]

I re-read Angela's Ashes while on vacation, and Frank McCourt's forever down-and-out family eats pig's head, year after year, for Christmas dinner. I think they boiled it with onions, cabbage and potatoes and ate it with mustard.

Seeing as how that doesn't sound too exciting, I think bleud'auvergne went on a quest for authentic tete de veau and did a beautiful little photoessay and step-by-step. I'll try to find it and link to it. Would such a thing be possible with a pig's head? Could you get the butcher to take it off and skin it for you?

Also, I think the Joy of Cooking still has a recipe for a complicated stuffed boar's head. Both of these might be fun (if super-ambitious) side projects.

[ned]

Pozole Verde is traditionally made with a split pig's head. It's a Mexican chicken soup. Don't have a recipe for it though.

The trotters: I'd, boil em for an hour or so, debone em, reserve the skins (dry them off), mix the contents with minced shallot, salt and pepper, a little olive oil, garlic and parsley, put the mixture back into the skins, tie em and roast for half an hour or until brown and crispy.

[Carrot Top]

For information of cooking any part of the pig, one of the best books to refer to is Jane Grigson's classic (1967) book 'Charcuterie and French Pork Cookery'.

It includes recipes for each and every part of the pig, including chapters on terrines, sausages, hams, 'Extremities', 'The Insides', and 'The Fat of the Pig'.

There is a recipe for head-cheese in this book and many for trotters. If you still need a recipe, write back and I'll post it...

My personal favorite recipe for pigs feet is (after cooking them for at least three hours and cleaning well) to chop them up and then braise in a strongly flavored, almost medieval flavored tomato sauce...lots of onions, garlic, cinnamon, bay leaves, etc. Absolutely marvelous served on a thick macaroni-type pasta, most particularly on a chilly fall or winter's eve....

[amclaud]

My husband has recently been devouring a book by Fergus Henderson. I believe the title is "The Whole Beast -- Nose to Tail Eating." It covers all sorts of offal and tidbits and how to use them scrumptiously.

[clearblue]

My husband has recently been devouring a book by Fergus Henderson.  I believe the title is "The Whole Beast -- Nose to Tail Eating."  It covers all sorts of offal and tidbits and how to use them scrumptiously.

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My tried and true trotters recipe is plain ol' "Menudo".

In a crockpot, put the feet covered with water, a couple of cans of Bush's

Hominey/with juice, some salt and black pepper,and cook until the meat falls off the bones. Spoon into a soup bowl --top with diced fresh onion,cilantro,and japaleno peppers. Get some white corn tortillas and enjoy.

[dockhl]

Seafood~

Look here Bouchon Cookbook Thread, posts 120 and 126 (among others) to see what Thomas Keller does with his trotters !