This was my first attempt at making head cheese. While I succeeded in making the head cheese it didn't have the flavor or texture I wanted. The next time I make it, I'll make some adjustments to process and ingredients. To make head cheese you need a pigs head (duh..) aside from that you will need a few trotters (the trotters have a lot of collagen which causes the cheese to gel) shanks and jowls. For the flavoring I threw in onions, celery, carrots, garlic, bay leaf, thyme and whole peppercorns. You don't add the salt until the liquid has cooled. This is because salt intensifies when the cheese sets or gets cold. To start simmer the head and other ingredients for 3hrs until all the meat starts to fall off. After the mixture has cooled pick the meat from the head, tongue, jowls and shanks. Take a small loaf pan and line it with seran wrap. take the meat and pack it into the loaf pan and pour the liquid over the meat(I added fresh thyme which I didn't like). Refrigerate overnight or until the cheese has set. I served the head cheese with crusty bread and whole grain mustard. It also makes some mighty find sandwiches.
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