Head cheese (
Dutch: ''hoofdkaas'') or brawn is a
cold cut
Lunch meats—also known as cold cuts, luncheon meats, cooked meats, sliced meats, cold meats, sandwich meats, and deli meats—are precooked or cured meats that are sliced and served cold or hot. They are typically served in sandwiches or on ...
terrine
Terrine may refer to:
* Terrine (cookware), a vessel for cooking a forcemeat loaf
* Terrine (food)
A terrine (), in traditional French cuisine, is a loaf of forcemeat or aspic, similar to a pâté, that is cooked in a covered pottery mold (a ...
or meat jelly that originated in
Europe. It is made with flesh from the
head of a
calf
Calf most often refers to:
* Calf (animal), the young of domestic cattle.
* Calf (leg), in humans (and other primates), the back portion of the lower leg
Calf or calves may also refer to:
Biology and animal byproducts
*Veal, meat from calves
*C ...
or
pig
The pig (''Sus domesticus''), often called swine, hog, or domestic pig when distinguishing from other members of the genus '' Sus'', is an omnivorous, domesticated, even-toed, hoofed mammal. It is variously considered a subspecies of ''Sus s ...
(less commonly a
sheep or
cow
Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus '' Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult ma ...
), typically set in
aspic
Aspic or meat jelly () is a savory gelatin made with a meat stock or broth, set in a mold to encase other ingredients. These often include pieces of meat, seafood, vegetable, or eggs. Aspic is also sometimes referred to as ''aspic gelée'' or ''a ...
, and usually eaten cold, at room temperature, or in a sandwich. Despite its name the dish is not a
cheese
Cheese is a dairy product produced in wide ranges of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fat from milk, usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats, or sheep. During production, ...
and contains no
dairy products. The parts of the head used vary, and may include the
tongue
The tongue is a muscular organ in the mouth of a typical tetrapod. It manipulates food for mastication and swallowing as part of the digestive process, and is the primary organ of taste. The tongue's upper surface (dorsum) is covered by taste b ...
and sometimes the
feet
The foot ( : feet) is an anatomical structure found in many vertebrates. It is the terminal portion of a limb which bears weight and allows locomotion. In many animals with feet, the foot is a separate organ at the terminal part of the leg made ...
and
heart
The heart is a muscular organ in most animals. This organ pumps blood through the blood vessels of the circulatory system. The pumped blood carries oxygen and nutrients to the body, while carrying metabolic waste such as carbon dioxide to ...
but do not commonly include the
brain,
eyes or
ears
An ear is the organ that enables hearing and, in mammals, body balance using the vestibular system. In mammals, the ear is usually described as having three parts—the outer ear, the middle ear and the inner ear. The outer ear consists o ...
. Trimmings from more commonly eaten cuts of
pork and
veal are often used, with
gelatin
Gelatin or gelatine (from la, gelatus meaning "stiff" or "frozen") is a translucent, colorless, flavorless food ingredient, commonly derived from collagen taken from animal body parts. It is brittle when dry and rubbery when moist. It may also ...
added as a
binder.
Variations of head cheese exist throughout Europe and the rest of the world, with differences in construction and ingredients. A version pickled with vinegar is known as ''souse''. Historically, meat jellies were made of the head of an animal, less its organs, which would be simmered to produce a naturally gelatinous stock that would congeal as the dish cooled. Meat jellies made this way were commonly a
peasant food
Peasant foods are dishes eaten by peasants, made from accessible and inexpensive ingredients.
In many historical periods, peasant foods have been stigmatized.
They may use ingredients, such as offal and less-tender cuts of meat, which are not ...
and have been made since the
Middle Ages. Modern head cheese recipes may require additional gelatin, or more often need to be reduced to set properly.
Etymology
The English term "head cheese" is a
calque
In linguistics, a calque () or loan translation is a word or phrase borrowed from another language by literal word-for-word or root-for-root translation. When used as a verb, "to calque" means to borrow a word or phrase from another language w ...
derived from the
Dutch word ''hoofdkaas'', which literally translates to "head cheese". The term ''hoofdkaas'' can be divided into ''hoofd'' (head) originating from the animal heads commonly used to prepare the dish, and ''kaas'' (cheese) describing the texture, which resembles that of cheese.
Terminology
The term "head cheese" is used in
North America, "potted heid" in
Scotland,
"brawn" elsewhere in
Britain
Britain most often refers to:
* The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands
* Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...
and
Australia.
The term "souse", a corruption of the German ''Sülze'', is used for the pickled variety in North America and the
West Indies.
By country
Europe
* Austria: Head cheese is known as ''Presswurst'', ''Sulz'' or ''Schwartamaga'' in the most western regions. Depending on the region, it is often served with a light dressing (vinegar, sunflower seed oil or pumpkin seed oil, sliced onions).
* Bulgaria: The meal пача (''pacha'') is prepared from pig's heads (primarily the ears), legs, and often tongue. The broth is heavily seasoned with
garlic before cooling.
* Croatia: This cut is generally known as ''hladetina'', and is commonly produced after the
traditional slaughter of pigs. A strongly seasoned version of this cut is called ''tlačenica''. The name ''švargl'' is used for a variant where the chopped parts are stuffed inside the pig's stomach, similar to a Scottish
haggis.
* Cyprus: made with pork and known as ''
zalatina'', a word possibly derived from the English word gelatin. It is often seasoned with lemon juice.
* Czech Republic: The ''huspenina'' or ''sulc'' (from German ''Sülze'') is made from pig's heads or legs boiled together, chopped, mixed in their broth, poured into a pan, and left in the cold to solidify. Other ingredients may include onion, pepper, allspice, bayleaf, vinegar, salt, carrot, parsley, root celery, and sometimes eggs. A similar product, ''
tlačenka
Tlačenka is the Czech and Slovak variety of head meat similar to Polish ''salceson
Salceson is a type of meat found in Polish cuisine and other Central and Eastern European cuisines. There are several varieties of salceson which depend on ...
'', is basically ''huspenina'' with some more meat, chopped liver, and various offal, poured into a prepared pig stomach and left to solidify under the weight. ''Tlačenka'' is generally thicker than ''huspenina,'' and commonly is eaten with chopped onions and sprinkled with vinegar.
* Denmark, Norway and Sweden: ''Sylte'', ''sylta'' or ''aladåb'', was originally made from the head of pig, but now commonly is made from the forequarters or shanks of pork or veal and seasoned with
allspice
Allspice, also known as Jamaica pepper, myrtle pepper, pimenta, or pimento, is the dried unripe berry of ''Pimenta dioica'', a midcanopy tree native to the Greater Antilles, southern Mexico, and Central America, now cultivated in many warm par ...
,
bay leaves
The bay leaf is an aromatic leaf commonly used in cooking. It can be used whole, either dried or fresh, in which case it is removed from the dish before consumption, or less commonly used in ground form. It may come from several species of tr ...
, and
thyme; this forms part of the traditional Christmas ''
smörgåsbord'', served on ''
rugbrød'' or ''
lefse'' with strong
mustard and pickled
beetroot
The beetroot is the taproot portion of a beet plant, usually known in North America as beets while the vegetable is referred to as beetroot in British English, and also known as the table beet, garden beet, red beet, dinner beet or golden beet ...
s. A
rolled version (Danish/Norwegian: ''rullepølse'', Swedish: ''rullsylta'') made in an otherwise similar way also exists, however this contains very little aspic.
* Estonia: ''Sült'' is similar to the German or Croatian dish (the name is a loan, as well), but usually is less seasoned and is made from higher quality meat. Sometimes
carrot
The carrot (''Daucus carota'' subsp. ''sativus'') is a root vegetable, typically orange in color, though purple, black, red, white, and yellow cultivars exist, all of which are domesticated forms of the wild carrot, ''Daucus carota'', nati ...
s or
greens are added. It is a traditional Christmas dish, but is sold in stores year round. The traditional ''sült'' is made from pork using its gelatinous parts. Beef, poultry, and fish variants also are available.
* Finland: Head cheese is known as ''syltty'', ''tytinä'' or ''aladobi''.
* France and Belgium: In French, it is referred to as ''fromage de tête'', ''tête pressée'', ''tête fromagée'' (which translates as "cheesed head") or ''pâté de tête''.
* Germany: Head cheese is known as ''Sülze'', ''Schwartenmagen'', or ''Presskopf''. In
Bavaria
Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...
, ''Presssack'' comes in three varieties (deep red, pinkish, and grey) in the form of a large (15-cm-diameter) sausage. ''Sülze'' can have a tangy flavour by adding pickles or vinegar. It usually takes the form of a rectangular loaf, which is then sliced into portions. There is a white coloured variety and two different red ones, using blood, one made with beef tongue (as in ''
Zungenwurst
Blood tongue, or ''Zungenwurst'' (translation ''tongue sausage''), is a variety of German head cheese with blood. It is a large head cheese that is made with pig's blood, suet, bread crumbs and oatmeal with chunks of pickled beef tongue added. I ...
'') and aspic, the other without. In
Franconia
Franconia (german: Franken, ; Franconian dialect: ''Franggn'' ; bar, Frankn) is a region of Germany, characterised by its culture and Franconian dialect (German: ''Fränkisch'').
The three administrative regions of Lower, Middle and Upper ...
, ''Saurer Presssack'' is served in a salad with a vinaigrette and vegetables. Early references to ''Sulcze'' in documents of the Counts of
Katzenelnbogen
Katzenelnbogen () is the name of a castle and small town in the district of Rhein-Lahn-Kreis in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Katzenelnbogen is the seat of the ''Verbandsgemeinde'' ("collective municipality") Aar-Einrich.
History
Katzenelnbog ...
date from 1410 and 1430.
:Using only pure meat of highest quality (i.e., without fat, gristle or meat of lower quality) it is called ''Kaisersülze'' (Emperor's Aspic).
* Greece: In Greece and among Greeks of the diaspora, it is known as ''
pichti'' "πηχτή" and usually incorporates vinegar.
* Hungary: A variant of head cheese, ''disznósajt'', or ''disznófősajt'' (pork cheese or pork head cheese), is made of mixed meat slices (especially from the head of the pig,) spices, paprika, and pieces of bacon cooked in spicy
stock. The chopped meat is stuffed into the pig's stomach, similar to Scottish haggis, pricked with needles, then pressed down with weights to remove excess fat and make it tight and compact. Often it is smoked like sausages or ham.
* Iceland: ''Sviðasulta'' a form of head cheese, is made from ''
svið'', singed sheep's head, sometimes cured in
lactic acid.
* Ireland: ''brawn'' is considered a rare delicacy and is made from pig's head. It dates from at least the early 19th century CE.
* Italy: In Genoa, a similar cold cut goes by the name of ''testa in cassetta'', literally "head in a box", but it is possible to find it throughout all of central and northern Italy, where it is called ''coppa di testa'', or simply ''coppa'', ''soppressata'' in Tuscany, or – in some northern regions – ''formaggio di testa'' (head cheese). In central Italy (Lazio, Umbria), it is common to put orange peel pieces in it, or to serve it in a salad together with oranges and black olives. In the Campania region, the head and foot, called "
'O pere e 'o musso", is boiled, left whole and sliced, served with lupini beans and fresh lemon. A version in aspic from Sicily known as "liatina" includes the head, feet, skin and ears, flavored with bay leaf, pepper, vinegar and lemon.
* Latvia:''Galerts'' is similar Latvian food consisting from meat in gelatin, often with vegetables, such as carrots, and celery added to the resulting colloidal suspension. Horseradish or vinegar can be poured over the ''galerts'' when serving it.
* Lithuania: ''Košeliena'' (deriving from ''košė'' (pulp or squash) or ''šaltiena'' (deriving from ''šalta'', "cold", and refers to way of serving the dish), is usually made from pig's feet; sometimes part of head is added.
* Luxembourg: ''Jelli'' is basically the same as in the neighboring Germany and France, made from pork, and commonly eaten on buttered bread (optionally with mustard). A specialty are varying kinds of pastries filled with Jelli that are made with aspic containing Riesling wine, like most famously the
Rieslingspaschtéit.
* Netherlands and Belgium: Head cheese is known under several regional names and variations. In
Brabant Brabant is a traditional geographical region (or regions) in the Low Countries of Europe. It may refer to:
Place names in Europe
* London-Brabant Massif, a geological structure stretching from England to northern Germany
Belgium
* Province of Bra ...
, it is called ''zult'' and is made with blood. Pig's foot provides the
gelatin
Gelatin or gelatine (from la, gelatus meaning "stiff" or "frozen") is a translucent, colorless, flavorless food ingredient, commonly derived from collagen taken from animal body parts. It is brittle when dry and rubbery when moist. It may also ...
and a little vinegar is added to it.
In Limburg, it is called ''hoofdkaas'', meaning head cheese, and is eaten on bread or with
Limburgisch sausage as a starter. A red, sweet variety and a slightly sour, grey variety are available. The red one can be compared to Brabantine ''zult''. Both ''zult'' and ''preskop'' are also found in Limburg, though ''zult'' is less sour, whereas ''preskop'' often contains black pepper and is eaten on wholewheat bread. In Belgium, head cheese is also called ''kop'' or ''kopvlees'', which translates as "meat from the head".
* Poland: The nearest Polish equivalent of head cheese is ''
salceson
Salceson is a type of meat found in Polish cuisine and other Central and Eastern European cuisines. There are several varieties of salceson which depend on the ingredients.
Varieties
* Black 'Salceson' which contains blood
* White 'Salceson' m ...
''. According to Słownik Wyrazów Obcych PWN, the word comes from the Italian ''salsiccione'' meaning ''salsiccia di grosse dimensioni''. According to Wielka Encyklopedia Powszechna PWN, ''salceson'' traditionally is encased in either a pig's stomach or a cow's bladder. Specific varieties include: ''s. ozorkowy'' (tongue) which uses beef tongue; ''s. brunszwicki'' (Brunswick) which uses liver and is spiced with marjoram; ''s. włoski'' (Italian) which is spiced with garlic, black pepper, fennel and cumin seeds; ''s. czarny'' (black) which contains blood, semolina and bread crumbs, and can be regarded as a variant of ''kaszanka''.
* Portugal: known as ''cabeça de xara'', it is mainly prepared in the
Alentejo
Alentejo ( , ) is a geographical, historical, and cultural region of south–central and southern Portugal. In Portuguese, its name means "beyond () the Tagus river" (''Tejo'').
Alentejo includes the regions of Alto Alentejo and Baixo Alent ...
region.
* Romania: Two versions of it are ''tobă'' (drum) or, especially in
Transylvania, ''caş de cap de porc'' (pig head cheese, akin to the Hungarian ''disznófősajt''), which looks like a wide, four-inch-diameter, sausage and the marginally similar ''
piftie''. This is the same dish as Serbian and Macedonian ''
pihtije''), in which the ingredients are poured into a bowl and refrigerated. ''Piftie'' is not necessarily head meat, but can be different kinds of meat, boiled with garlic and bay leaves. It is prepared by boiling pig's feet to make a soup, as feet contain more gelatin than any other part of the pig. The mixture is then cooled to make a jelly. Usually, garlic is added.
* Russia: head cheese is a popular food for festive occasions. Beef or lamb head cheese is also popular in the Jewish community. It is more popularly called ''saltisón'' (сальтисон), ''zelts'' (зельц), or ''
kholodets'' (холодец).
* Serbia: Head cheese in Serbia is called švargla, and it is particularly popular in northern Serbia, Vojvodina. While each village has its special recipe, with particular seasoning or special cuts of meat added, the basic švargla is made with pig's tongue, heart, kidneys, skin and meat from the head. The meat is seasoned with paprika, salt, black pepper and garlic. Preparation consists of boiling the ingredients, filling the pig's stomach with them, and boiling the whole filled stomach again. Once the boiling is done, švargla is then pressed under weight, and smoked for several days.
* Slovakia: A special variety of head cheese, called ''
tlačenka
Tlačenka is the Czech and Slovak variety of head meat similar to Polish ''salceson
Salceson is a type of meat found in Polish cuisine and other Central and Eastern European cuisines. There are several varieties of salceson which depend on ...
'' (pressed one), is popular in
Slovakia. It is made of pork stomach stuffed with
offal
Offal (), also called variety meats, pluck or organ meats, is the organs of a butchered animal. The word does not refer to a particular list of edible organs, which varies by culture and region, but usually excludes muscle. Offal may also refe ...
and leftover parts of pig's heads and legs. It is seasoned with
garlic,
paprika,
black pepper
Black pepper (''Piper nigrum'') is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, known as a peppercorn, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit is a drupe (stonefruit) which is about in diame ...
, and other ingredients and usually
smoked
Smoking is the process of flavoring, browning, cooking, or preserving food by exposing it to smoke from burning or smoldering material, most often wood. Meat, fish, and ''lapsang souchong'' tea are often smoked.
In Europe, alder is the trad ...
. It is traditionally served with sliced onion, vinegar, and bread.
:''
Huspenina'' (also called ''studeno'', meaning "cold one") is similar to a certain extent, but made with less meat and more
gelatine. It is more similar to
aspic
Aspic or meat jelly () is a savory gelatin made with a meat stock or broth, set in a mold to encase other ingredients. These often include pieces of meat, seafood, vegetable, or eggs. Aspic is also sometimes referred to as ''aspic gelée'' or ''a ...
,
pork jelly, or ''
hladetina''.
* Slovenia: it is known as ''tlačenka'', "pressed-one", or informally as ''žolca''.
* Spain: This cold cut is known as ''cabeza de jabalí'', "boar's head".
* Sweden: Known as ''sylta'', a few variations are available with different meats, spices, and preparation methods, the most popular being ''kalvsylta'' (veal brawn), ''pressylta'' (pressed pork and veal brawn), and ''rullsylta'' (rolled and pressed side of pork). Common seasonings are onions, white pepper, allspice, cloves, salt and bay leaves, and occasionally carrots and herbs are added to the ingredients. ''Sylta'' is often regarded as a
seasonal food
Seasonal food refers to the times of year when the harvest or the flavour of a given type of food is at its peak. This is usually the time when the item is harvested, with some exceptions; an example being sweet potatoes which are best eaten qui ...
eaten at the ''
julbord'' at
Christmas
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year, ...
.
* Switzerland: The recipe is known as ''sülzli'', and it is typically made with chopped ham or pork.
* Ukraine: known as ''kovbyk'', ''kendiukh'' or ''saltseson'', head cheese is usually a combination of a variety of pork meats made into a pressed loaf.
* United Kingdom: In England and Wales, head cheese is referred to as brawn or (in Yorkshire and Norfolk) pork cheese. In Scotland, it is known as potted heid (potted head of beef, pork, or sheep); the similar potted ''haugh'' or ''hough'' is made from the shank of the animal.
Africa
South Africa: Known as ''sult'' in
Afrikaans
Afrikaans (, ) is a West Germanic language that evolved in the Dutch Cape Colony from the Dutch vernacular of Holland proper (i.e., the Hollandic dialect) used by Dutch, French, and German settlers and their enslaved people. Afrikaans grad ...
and ''brawn'' in
South African English
South African English (SAfrE, SAfrEng, SAE, en-ZA) is the set of English language dialects native to South Africans.
History
British settlers first arrived in the South African region in 1795, when they established a military holding op ...
. It is often flavoured with
curry
A curry is a dish with a sauce seasoned with spices, mainly associated with South Asian cuisine. In southern India, leaves from the curry tree may be included.
There are many varieties of curry. The choice of spices for each dish in tradi ...
.
Asia
Iran: a common dish for breakfast known as "ckallepache" Or according to common culture kallapch serves in special restaurant: kallepazi. Cooked head of sheep marinated in its oil and cinnamon. Iranians eat it as a heavy dish from about 5:00am
China: In certain parts of Northern China, such as Beijing, 'pig head meat' is cooked and thinly sliced and served at room temperature. In the Southern parts of China, ''Xiao Rou'' (肴肉) is made by boning and pickling pig trotters with
brine
Brine is a high-concentration solution of salt (NaCl) in water (H2O). In diverse contexts, ''brine'' may refer to the salt solutions ranging from about 3.5% (a typical concentration of seawater, on the lower end of that of solutions used for b ...
and
alum
An alum () is a type of chemical compound, usually a hydrated double sulfate salt of aluminium with the general formula , where is a monovalent cation such as potassium or ammonium. By itself, "alum" often refers to potassium alum, with the ...
. The meat is then rolled, pressed and eaten cold. In northeastern China, a jellied pork skin dish is often made and served with a spicy soy sauce and vinegar mixture with crushed garlic and red chili powder.
Korea: In
Korean cuisine, a similar dish, ''
pyeonyuk
''Pyeonyuk'' () is a traditional Korean dish, which consists of thinly sliced meat that has been boiled and pressed. Either beef or pork may be used to make the dish.
It is eaten as '' anju'' (an accompaniment to alcoholic drinks), or used as ...
'' (편육), is made by pressing meat, usually from the head of the pig. It is eaten as
''anju'' (dishes associated with
alcoholic beverages
An alcoholic beverage (also called an alcoholic drink, adult beverage, or a drink) is a drink that contains ethanol, a type of alcohol that acts as a drug and is produced by fermentation of grains, fruits, or other sources of sugar. The cons ...
) or used for ''janchi'' (잔치, for feast or banquet).
Vietnam: In Vietnam around ''
Tết'', ''giò thủ'' is made for New Year celebrations. It is a traditional snack made of fresh pork belly, pig's ears, garlic, scallions, onions, black fungus (mushrooms), fish sauce, and cracked black pepper. Traditionally, ''giò thủ'' (pork head meat pie) is wrapped in banana leaves and compressed in a wooden mold until the gelatin in the pig's ears makes it stick together.
Australia
In Australia, it is known as ''brawn'' or ''Presswurst''. It is usually seen as something of an old-fashioned dish, although various large firms, such as D'Orsogna, Don Smallgoods and KR Castlemaine produce it.
Caribbean
Souse is pickled meat and trimmings usually made from pig's feet, chicken feet or cow's tongue, to name a few parts. The cooked meat or trimmings are cut into bite-sized pieces and soaked in a brine made of water, lime juice, cucumbers, hot pepper, salt and specially prepared seasonings. Usually it is eaten on Saturday mornings, especially in St. Vincent and Barbados. In Trinidad and Tobago, it is served or sold at most social gatherings, such as parties, all-inclusive fetes and sporting competitions.
Latin America
Head cheese is popular and is usually referred to as ''queso de cabeza'' in
Chile
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...
and
Colombia. In Peru, Ecuador,
Bolivia
, image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg
, flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center
, flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...
, and Costa Rica, it is also known as ''queso de chancho''. It is known as ''queso de Cerdo'' in Uruguay and Argentina. In
Panama, it is known as ''sous'' (from
Caribbean English
Caribbean English (CE, CarE) is a set of dialects of the English language which are spoken in the Caribbean and Liberia, most countries on the Caribbean coast of Central America, and Guyana and Suriname on the coast of South America. Caribbean ...
souse), made with pig's feet and prepared the same way as in the Caribbean; it is a dish from the Caribbean coast, where most of Panama's West Indian community resides.
In Brazil, head cheese is popular among the ''
gaucho
A gaucho () or gaúcho () is a skilled horseman, reputed to be brave and unruly. The figure of the gaucho is a folk symbol of Argentina, Uruguay, Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil, and the south of Chilean Patagonia. Gauchos became greatly admired and ...
'' population and is commonly known as ''queijo de porco'' (pig cheese). In the German-colonized cities, such as
Pomerode
Pomerode () is a Brazilian municipality in the state of Santa Catarina, in Southern Brazil. It is located in the valley of the Itajaí-Açu river, not very far from the city of Blumenau, one of the largest cities in the state.
Pomerode is know ...
and
Blumenau, it follows the German recipe and is known as ''Sülze''.
In Mexico, it is known as ''queso de puerco'' and is usually spiced with oregano, vinegar, garlic, and black pepper.
[The People's Guide to Mexico By Carl Franz, Carl Franz, Lorena Havens, Steve Rogers, Lorena Havens]
North America
Alberta
Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Terri ...
, Canada: the typical jellied meat available in stores is labelled "head cheese", whether or not it is actually made from the head. The large Eastern European community in the province also has a (declining) tradition of making jellied meat at home, usually from pigs' feet, and this is called ''studenetz'' in the
local dialect of the Ukrainian language.
Pennsylvania, United States: In the
Pennsylvania Dutch dialect, head cheese is called souse.
Pennsylvania German
The Pennsylvania Dutch (Pennsylvania Dutch: ), also known as Pennsylvania Germans, are a cultural group formed by German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. They emigrated primarily from German-spe ...
s usually prepare it from the meat of pig's feet or tongue and it is pickled with sausage.
Wisconsin,
Illinois,
Michigan, and other portions of the
Upper Midwest, United States: Head cheese and sulze are both made from pork snouts and tongues, but head cheese often uses larger chunks of smoked meat, while sulze generally uses unsmoked, chopped meat and has added vinegar and pickles.
Louisiana,
Mississippi,
Alabama
(We dare defend our rights)
, anthem = " Alabama"
, image_map = Alabama in United States.svg
, seat = Montgomery
, LargestCity = Huntsville
, LargestCounty = Baldwin County
, LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham
, area_total_km2 = 135,7 ...
, and other portions of the
Deep South, United States: The highly seasoned hog's head cheese is very popular as a
cold cut
Lunch meats—also known as cold cuts, luncheon meats, cooked meats, sliced meats, cold meats, sandwich meats, and deli meats—are precooked or cured meats that are sliced and served cold or hot. They are typically served in sandwiches or on ...
or
appetizer
An hors d'oeuvre ( ; french: hors-d'œuvre ), appetiser or starter is a small dish served before a meal in European cuisine. Some hors d'oeuvres are served cold, others hot. Hors d'oeuvres may be served at the dinner table as a part of the ...
. A pig's foot provides the
gelatin
Gelatin or gelatine (from la, gelatus meaning "stiff" or "frozen") is a translucent, colorless, flavorless food ingredient, commonly derived from collagen taken from animal body parts. It is brittle when dry and rubbery when moist. It may also ...
that sets the cheese, and vinegar is typically added to give a sour taste. It is a popular
Cajun food and is often encountered seasoned with green onions. It is called in Louisiana French; ''fromage de cochon''. In Mississippi, Alabama, and other Southern states, it is encountered in a spicy form known as souse or less spicy hog's head cheese.
Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada: Throughout Newfoundland, brawn is typically made from wild game such as moose and caribou.
Ontario, Canada: Commercial, processed versions made with pork are sold in the deli section in some grocery stores in Ontario, such as in the German 'heimat' of
Waterloo Region
The Regional Municipality of Waterloo (Waterloo Region or Region of Waterloo) is a metropolitan area of Southern Ontario, Canada. It contains the cities of Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo (KWC or Tri-Cities), and the townships of North Dumf ...
.
Quebec, Canada: Called ''tête fromagée'', it is commonly available in grocery stores and butcher shops along with ''
cretons
In Quebec cuisine, (sometimes gorton or corton, especially among New Englanders of French-Canadian origin) is a forcemeat-style pork spread containing onions and spices. Due to its fatty texture and taste, it resembles French '' rillettes''. C ...
'' and ''terrines''.
Prince Edward Island, Canada: Now uncommon and seen as old fashioned. It was common before 1970 and often referred to as Potted head or Potted meat.
New Brunswick, Canada: A spread similar to
cretons
In Quebec cuisine, (sometimes gorton or corton, especially among New Englanders of French-Canadian origin) is a forcemeat-style pork spread containing onions and spices. Due to its fatty texture and taste, it resembles French '' rillettes''. C ...
made from pork head and
Boston Butt
A Boston butt is the slightly wedged shaped portion of the pork shoulder above the standard picnic cut which includes the blade bone and the "lean butt" (which is boneless), both extensions of the tenderloin cut and can be used in place of the te ...
and seasoned primarily with onion, salt, and
summer savory
Summer savory (''Satureja hortensis'') is among the best known of the savory genus. It is an annual, but otherwise is similar in use and flavor to the perennial winter savory. It is used more often than winter savory, which has a slightly more ...
, is often referred to as head cheese.
See also
*
Blood tongue
Blood tongue, or ''Zungenwurst'' (translation ''tongue sausage''), is a variety of German head cheese with blood. It is a large head cheese that is made with pig's blood, suet, bread crumbs and oatmeal with chunks of pickled beef tongue added. I ...
*
Pork jelly
*
P'tcha
References
The term "head cheese" was mentioned in the first installment of the Texas Chain Saw Massacre franchise.
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Head Cheese
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