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Whilst the forum was down I had my first attempt at making Brawn, also known as Fromage de Tete or Head Cheese.
I used a recipe from the Uktvfood site, but made a few alterations.

Head Cheese

Ingredients
For the brine
6 litres water
1kg sea salt
1kg Sugar
4 Lemons, juice only
1 tsp black peppercorns
5 Bay Leaves
1 tbsp juniper berries, optional
1 nutmeg, halved, optional
3/4 tsp cloves, optional

For the meat
1 pig's head, halved
2 pig's trotters
1 onion
4 cloves
Bay leaves
peppercorns
2 Lemons, juice and zest
bunch Parsley, chopped

Method
1. Put all the brine ingredients into a saucepan and bring to the boil � this is to sterilise everything and ensure that the salt and sugar dissolve properly. Simmer for 5 minutes, then cover and leave it on one side to cool.

2. Rinse the pig�s head under a tap, and brush away any dirt from the nostrils and teeth.

3. Pour the cooled brine into a large tub or bucket, and add the pigs head and trotters. Leave to soak for 2 days.

4. Take the head and trotters out of the brine, rinse thoroughly and put in a large saucepan. Stud the onion with the cloves and add to the pan. Cover with cold water and add an extra 3cm water, so that the head is completely immersed. Bring it all to the boil with the bay leaves and peppercorns.

5. Gently simmer everything for 4-6 hours with the lid on the pan. Turn the heat off and leave to cool. Lift out the head and trotters and put them in a large roasting tin. Pour off all but 2 litres of the remaining broth and set aside.

6. Pick through the remains of the head and trotters, removing as much meat as possible. Dice or shred the meat and place in a bowl. Cover and set aside.

7. Put any remaining bones and skin back in the pan with 2 litres or so of the reserved broth. Simmer for another hour until it�s reduced by half.

8. Strain the resulting broth and combine 500ml of it with the meat from the head. Add the lemon juice, zest and the parsley. It should be of a porridge-like consistency.

9. Line 3 x 500g loaf tins with cling film and spoon in the meat and broth mixture. Leave to cool before chilling overnight in the fridge. Serve with English mustard and crusty bread.


I only had 1/2 a head so altered the recipe accordingly, and ended up with just over 1 lb of brawn. I must say that the result was superb and reminded me of brawn my mothers friend used to make back in the 1950's - 60's. I didn't bother clarifying the gelatine, which I had already made from the bones, skin, trotters etc a few weeks back. It was vac packed and frozen and once thawed and warmed through for use, was perfect with no ill effects from freezing.

This is the result:


Regards, Paul Kribs

Mmmm looks good.
I've just made some too but with a very basic recipe and it tastes good.
Yours sounds better though with all the extra stuff in it, I like the look of the parsley too makes it look more appetising (might even convince my wife to try it).

Spuddy

I sent some in with my wife to give to her friend.. She said she had never had brawn so tastey, and would I sell her some.. . Also, I took some in sandwiches to work and let a friend taste one, he exclaimed that it was very similar to what his dad used to make, much better and more tastey than the commercial efforts.
Unfortunately it will be some time yet before I make any more.

Regards, Paul Kribs

It dose look good, i dont brine my heads just cook them. may be the reason i need to add salt at the end. also could'nt bring myself to throw away all that juice from the cooking , so i froze it' and used it in my gravy for roast diners, unless you know of some other use's

It dose look good, I dont brine my heads just cook them, may be the reason i have to add salt at the end. I also couldn't bring myself to throw away all that juice from the cooking, so i freeze it and use it to make gravy for roast diners. Unless you know of some other use's

Here again our cultures part. My Grandmother and her Mother made Head Cheese when I was a youngster. I do not recall the recipe; however, I do remember the process which involved cleaning, brining, boiling, and chipping the meat. Then the meat (still warm) was piled into the center of a large pice of cheese cloth that had been folded into three or four layers. The cheese cloth was then drawn to the top and twisted until the package was extremely tight and liquid began to ooze from the cloth. After the twisting had the meat compressed into a tight ball it was tied off and sent to the spring house for several days. The result was a round loaf which was sliced and eaten cold or dedged in corn meal or flour and fried. I remember I preferred having it fried.

Hi Paul- Head Cheese Pewww that is disgusting stuff. NOT.

I love head cheese and never could understand why others don't like it that is a good recipe and I will try it out soon. The one you made on the picture looks absolutly perfect and delicious. Thank for sharing that with us. Yummmmmi.

Pawclaws- Nice to see you here too after here I will visit you too.

Nice to see you too Othmar!! Bring the head cheese along too! Great stuff with thinly sliced baby Swiss and Vidalia onion!

Since I first saw this thread I have been itching to have a go at making brawn, I acquired half a head and a couple of trotters recently and had a go. I must say I am very impressed. I followed this recipe to the letter and it made just enough to fill a loaf tin. I was a bit worried that it wouldn't set but when I took it out of the fridge the next morning it was perfect . There was an awful lot of stock left over so I reduced it down and have frozen as much as I could. Am gonna try it in pork pies soon. The Flavour of the Brawn realy developed once at room temperature. On crusty bread with a grain mustard it was a real treat, will definately be doing this again.

This thread brought back a memory of my Gran making brawn that I'd forgotten for probably thirty years. I was staying with her for the night, and after I'd been put to bed (I was eight at the time) I got up and wandered into the kitchen, to find my gran kneeling on the kitchen table sawing a pigs head in half with a hacksaw. I had nightmares for weeks.

Didn't put me off the brawn tho'.

Must give it a go, Paul's looks very fine.

Forgive my ignorance but are the brains from the pigs head also used or is there another use for them? I seem to recall eating lambs brain as an entree when I was on holiday in Sardinia, they were delicious,I wonder if anyone out there has a recipe and does pig brain taste similar to Lambs?

The brain goes into the brawn.

Lamb's brain or calf's brain is superb, but hard to get. Just blanch them in water to firm them up, remove the membrane and slice before sauteing in butter/olive oil with a tad of garlic, salt and pepper. Serve on toast. They can also be quickly roasted whole after blanching. The taste is remeniscent of soft herring roe.

I recently got two dozen bunnies, and I had a mixed grill of livers, hearts and brains as a treat after drawing and skinning them. Fried in butter and fresh sage. Man, it was good.

Brains sauted in olive oil and garlic sounds like the dish I ate in Sardinia, I'm picking up a pigs head this weekend so I'll give it a try,my wifes a bit squeamish with these recipes so it looks like I''ll have it all to myself.Bunny brains eh? can't be much of a yield from a single rabbit, how many would you need to make a decent meal out of the offal? When I hunt for bunnys I always go for the head shot so this will probably make the brain inedible.

Regarding brains, have you gentlemen heard that it is now believed that Mad Cow Disease and Chronic Wasting Disease are breing attributed to viral infections spread by the animals licking one another? The theory of the spread via ingesting nerve and brain tissue has not been abandoned as of yet. What have you heard?

Hi Pawclaws, haven't heard anything other than the usual doctrine such as avoiding consumption of Brain and spinal chord nerve tissue etc. I'll have a google later and see if I can find any articles.