FOOD NEWS
What Is Head Cheese Actually Made Of? (Hint: Not Cheese)
BY Will Godfrey
What It Is
Head cheese is a type of meat prepared from an animal's head — usually a pig. The meat is simmered until tender before being seasoned and pressed into a terrine.
The "cheese" name likely comes from how it's formed in a mold, like cheeses pressed into shape. The name could also have been given to make it sound more elegant.
How It's Made
Head cheese is made by cleaning a pig's head and removing the eyes and brain. It's then simmered in a pot with aromatics until the meat almost falls off the bone.
This process melts the meat's natural gelatin, creating a broth that sets as a solid jelly when it cools. Finally, the bone is removed, and the meat is seasoned.
Its Taste
Head cheese offers a delicate, well-balanced flavor of tender, seasoned meat with a combination of firm and silky-smooth textures in each bite.
You might catch hints of garlic, black pepper, or aromatic bay leaf. Some versions lean into bright, vinegary notes, while others let the natural meatiness take center stage.
Its Varieties
Not all head cheeses are the same. Fresh, traditionally made head cheese is softer and more delicate and has cleaner flavors than mass-produced varieties.
More artisanal recipes may veer from the basics, using other types of offal like pig's heart for a richer, more elevated head cheese. Then there's souse, which is much tangier.
Global Variations
Head cheese may have European roots, but it has taken on unique identities across the globe — from Italy, France, and Germany to even Mexico and the Philippines.
These different usages and varieties in different parts of the world reflect the adaptability of head cheese, proving it can thrive across diverse culinary landscapes.