Smoked Head Cheese
Head cheese is a traditional pressed meat sausage made from pork head meat, rind, and spices embedded in its own gelling cooking broth. Cold smoking gives it an aromatic casing and a more intense flavor profile. Sliced and served with a vinegar-oil dressing, it makes a rustic snack and bread accompaniment.
Ingredients(for 1 kg)
Instructions
Cooking and chopping the meat
2-3 hoursCook pork head parts, tongue, and rind in salted water with bay leaves, juniper berries, and pepper until tender. Let the meat cool and cut into cubes of approx. 1-2 cm. Finely dice the rind. Reduce cooking broth by half.
Seasoning and pressing
30 minutes + 4 hours chillingMix meat, rind, and tongue with curing salt and spices. Add hot, reduced broth and mix thoroughly. Fill into artificial casings or molds, press firmly, and let gel for 4-6 hours in the refrigerator.
Drying
1-2 hoursRemove the firm head cheese from the mold or leave it in the casing. Pat the surface dry and let it air-dry for 1-2 hours at cool room temperature or in a cool, airy spot.
Cold smoking
6-10 hoursCold-smoke the head cheese at 15-22 °C with beech and oak wood smoke. Apply two to three smoking sessions of 2-3 hours each. The head cheese will take on a golden-brown color and develop a nutty, smoky aroma.
Pro Tip
Reduce the cooking broth by at least half before adding it to the meat mixture – this way the head cheese sets firmly and sliceably without any additives.
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