Fatback Joe
Babbling Farker
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2008
- Location
- Memphis, TN
Been on a kick for a while of trying to use the "other parts" of the pig. Quite a while back I started feeling kind of guilty about how many butts, ribs, bellies, I used and started feeling kind of obligated to try to use the rest of the animal. Anyhow, I made some headcheese previously and although it turned out well, I was fairly underwhelmed with the flavor. Got to thinking about trying a BBQ flavored version and gave it a shot, much better result.
Step 1...get a pig head.
Removed the jowls for guanciale.
Trimmed it up, tried to get off any hair and unappetizing stuff, and put it into a brine of salt, sugar, juniper berries, and bay leaves along with a couple of pig feet.
Kept it in the brine for a couple of days and pulled and hit it with Smoking Guns Hot rub on the exposed meat.
Into the smoker @ 250 with cherry wood for the smoke. I put it in a pan to catch the juices and wrapped it when the color was good. Didn't keep good track of the time, but it was probably in there about 8 hours. While that was happening I put the feet and ears in a pot with carrot, celery, and onion and simmered that down to get the "broth" to hold everything together.
Head out of the smoker and uncovered.........might have missed a hair or 500. :shock:
Strained the feet, ear, mirepoix combo and turned up the heat to reduce it more as I picked the meat off the head. I cooked a butt that day as well and put some of that meat into the mix for a little more flavor into the fold.
The broth reduced down to where I wanted it.
I seasoned all the pulled meat and parts with a tablespoon of smoking guns and packed it in to the mold with the juice and into the fridge to set up for a couple of days.
Turned it out and it looked good, smelled good, so time for a slice.
Much happier with this version than previous efforts. Porky, smoky, and had a nice "BBQ" flavor to it.
As we were sampling and analyzing this one, my wife said "that would be good fried". Say no more. Quick mix of flour, salt, pepper, cayenne, and granulated garlic and into the grease.
I was worried about it possibly falling to pieces as it heated up, but it held together perfectly. The breading didn't stay as well as I would have liked but it was good enough. Excellent, the only thing I would change on that front would be thicker slice.
Since fried headcheese wasn't clogging my arteries enough, I had to hit it with a little sauce as well. Head Country seemed a fitting choice.
It was great! I was too full from the sampling, but I think I see a fried headcheese sandwich in the making this weekend.
Excellent use for the head (and feet).
Thanks for lookin'.
Step 1...get a pig head.
Removed the jowls for guanciale.
Trimmed it up, tried to get off any hair and unappetizing stuff, and put it into a brine of salt, sugar, juniper berries, and bay leaves along with a couple of pig feet.
Kept it in the brine for a couple of days and pulled and hit it with Smoking Guns Hot rub on the exposed meat.
Into the smoker @ 250 with cherry wood for the smoke. I put it in a pan to catch the juices and wrapped it when the color was good. Didn't keep good track of the time, but it was probably in there about 8 hours. While that was happening I put the feet and ears in a pot with carrot, celery, and onion and simmered that down to get the "broth" to hold everything together.
Head out of the smoker and uncovered.........might have missed a hair or 500. :shock:
Strained the feet, ear, mirepoix combo and turned up the heat to reduce it more as I picked the meat off the head. I cooked a butt that day as well and put some of that meat into the mix for a little more flavor into the fold.
The broth reduced down to where I wanted it.
I seasoned all the pulled meat and parts with a tablespoon of smoking guns and packed it in to the mold with the juice and into the fridge to set up for a couple of days.
Turned it out and it looked good, smelled good, so time for a slice.
Much happier with this version than previous efforts. Porky, smoky, and had a nice "BBQ" flavor to it.
As we were sampling and analyzing this one, my wife said "that would be good fried". Say no more. Quick mix of flour, salt, pepper, cayenne, and granulated garlic and into the grease.
I was worried about it possibly falling to pieces as it heated up, but it held together perfectly. The breading didn't stay as well as I would have liked but it was good enough. Excellent, the only thing I would change on that front would be thicker slice.
Since fried headcheese wasn't clogging my arteries enough, I had to hit it with a little sauce as well. Head Country seemed a fitting choice.
It was great! I was too full from the sampling, but I think I see a fried headcheese sandwich in the making this weekend.
Excellent use for the head (and feet).
Thanks for lookin'.
uke:
