Head Over Heels
Humble and delicious hog's head cheese has been eaten around the world for hundreds of years.
There are certain dishes that may turn people's stomachs when they are mentioned. While liver and onions, pickled pigs' feet, and lunch tongue all may sound disgusting to some people, these food items are also really beloved by others. The same can be said for the interestingly named hog's head cheese.
This animal product, which is not actually a "cheese" because it does not contain any dairy, is made from scraps of pig flesh that has been cooked in a way that it acquires a gelatinous binding. According to Wide Open Eats, it was traditionally made by boiling a pig's head in water after first removing its eyes and brain. The pig's feet are then added in order to get the natural gelatin that is needed to get the dish's signature texture. Finally, any desired seasonings or other additives to give it either a mild or hot flavor are added.
The finished product, which can be served either cold or room temperature, is versatile enough that it can be eaten a variety of ways such as on crackers, on a charcuterie board, or in a sandwich.
One Historic Hog
Where hog's head cheese exactly originated from is, unfortunately, unclear. Different online sources, such as US Wellness Meats, say that it originated in Europe during the Middle Ages and that it may have been used as a way to stretch out people's food because it allowed them to use as much of the pig as possible and not waste anything.
A British cookbook from 1732 called The Compleat City and Country Cook, written by Charles Carter, contains a recipe for hog's head cheese in which it is salted, boiled, and finally laid into a cheese press. The recipe also says that one can "souse" the dish, which means it could be pickled in vinegar if desired.
Despite not knowing where hog's head cheese was specifically created, versions of it can be found all over Europe, as well as in other countries elsewhere around the world. For other English-speaking nations, it can be referred to as "brawn" (in England, Wales, Australia, and South Africa), "potted heid" (in Scotland), and "souse" (in the Anglophone Caribbean).
A Louisiana Classic
Now where exactly is hog's head cheese best represented within the United States of America? Both Wide Open Eats and Hemphill Foods in Jackson, Mississippi, claim it is primarily found in the South.
Louisiana, in particular, has its fair share of restaurants, meat markets, and food product suppliers that contain both mild and hot varieties of hog's head cheese such as Bourgeois Meat Market in Thibodaux, Richard's Cajun Foods in Church Point, and Manda Fine Meats in Baton Rouge.
There are also a number of places in LaPlace that serve their own hog's head cheese such as Jacob's World Famous Andouille, which has been in business since 1928. Wayne Jacob's Smokehouse, opened in 1950, offers it as an appetizer on its lunch menu, by the pound from its smokehouse, as part of its Smoked Meat and Cheese Catering Platter, as part of its special Snack Basket, and even as "Christmas trees." There is also Bailey's Andouille, which offers mild head cheese by the pound, in different party trays, and in fun molds like different holiday icons, a fleur de lis, and even a brain.
Where to Find Hog's Head Cheese In and Near NOLA
Remarkably, hog's head cheese is a dish that has withstood the test of time, as well as changing tastes, and is something that can still be found in local grocery stores in the Greater New Orleans area such as Rouses Markets, Terranova's Supermarket, Zuppardo's Family Market, and Dorignac's Food Center.
Both mild and hot versions of hog's head cheese can be found at Creole Country Sausage Factory on David Street and is sold by PaPa Vic's Hog Head Cheese at Gretna's Farmers Market, which occurs every Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
There are even New Orleans restaurants that feature hog's head cheese on their menus. Chefs Donald Link and Stephen Stryjewski's Cochon Restaurant, located on Tchoupitoulas Street, has the dish on the restaurant's Boucherie section of the menu and it comes with crackers, pickles, and mustard. Cochon Butcher, another Link Restaurant Group establishment and directly connected to Cochon, offers head cheese as one of the selections for its charcuterie plate, alongside other selections like Genoa salami, duck pastrami, and mortadella.
Mid-City's Toups Meatery, helmed by Chef Isaac Toups, offers à la carte hog's head cheese on its lunch, brunch, and dinner menus. The ever-popular and quirky Turkey and the Wolf, owned by Chef Mason Hereford, also has its own unique take on the dish. Patrons can find hog's head cheese tacos on the restaurant's menu, which is served on corn tortillas and dressed with shredded lettuce, jalapeños, sour cream, American cheese, and hot sauce.
Hog's Head Cheese's Presence in New Orleans
While hog's head cheese may sound off-putting at first mention, it is a dish that has survived for hundreds of years and is still enjoyed by people who are willing to give it a chance. So for anyone craving a truly interesting take on pork, try it out. You might just be pleasantly surprised.
