Christmas Souse (a.k.a. "Hog's Head Cheese")

Souse (or “Hog’s Head Cheese”) is really quite a disgusting concept if you think too deeply about it. It’s essentially pig offal, seasoned, boiled, minced, and left for several days to congeal into a slightly gelatinous luncheon meat. But, like many southern dishes rooted in an American slave culture that necessitated the preparation of the masters’ discarded animal parts, it is DELICIOUS! It is a special treat to those who are lucky enough to have family members knowledgeable of the preparation process and willing to invest the time and energy needed to create this delicacy. I recently had a dear friend show me how to make it.

The ingredients:
• 5 lbs pig neck bones
• 7 pig ears
• 10 pig feet (split)
• 2 onions
• Kosher salt
• Crushed red pepper
• Garlic powder
• Sage
• Vinegar (either white or apple cider vinegar)

Total preparation time: 5 hours.

Clean and rinse the pig parts, then place them into separate pots (they will require different cooking times), cover with water, and bring to a boil.



Pigs' Feet

 


Pigs' Ears

 


Neck Bones

 











Pour off water and add fresh water and seasonings (salt, pepper, and garlic) to bring meats to a second boil. Don’t skimp on the spices!

Measuring spices

Your pig parts will still be simmering away (check the water to make sure the parts are still covered).

Pig parts a-simmerin'

While your pig parts boil, prepare a double-layered cheesecloth sack. You will use this sack to hang the souse so that it can drain, so make certain the sack is sturdy enough to hold approximately 2 – 3 pounds of meat. Lay out two layers of your cheesecloth, one on top of the other, then fold the layers in half to make a rectangle. Stitch along two sides of the cheesecloth rectangle, about ½ inch from the edges. Then, about ¼ inch inside your first stitching, stitch again to ensure the sack is sturdy. Turn the pouch inside out, and you will have something that looks like this:

Cheesecloth sack

While you wait for your meats to boil, you may wish to indulge in an Egg Nog Shot (or two).

Egg Nog Shot w/ Nutmeg

Egg Nog Shot
• ½ shot vodka
• ½ shot egg nog
Add a dash of nutmeg if you wish.
Word of caution: Indulging in too many Egg Nog Shots leads to napping in front of the fireplace, which may cause this to happen:

Scorched Pig Ears

The pig ears got a little scorched on the bottom. If this happens, use the meat that is not scorched. Do not use the scorched part on the bottom, or your souse will tasted burnt. The other meats turned out just fine, as evidenced by the photo of the cooked ears below.

Cooked Pig Ears

After your meats are thoroughly cooked, and falling away from the bone (about two hours in a regular pot, less in a pressure cooker), pour off the water, and place your pig parts into a large, shallow pan. Separate the meat from bones. Be very thorough, and DISCARD ALL BONES, including the tiny bits that will be hiding in your meat. Shred the meat with your fingers. Do not discard the cartilage.

Shredding meat

Ensure that all cartilage and meat chunks are broken down into a “mushy” consistency that looks a little something like this.

Just meat and cartilage

Dice two small onions and fold them into your mushy mix. Add the sage and vinegar. Your meat will become very sticky and gooey. This is normal. To keep it malleable, warm the pan on the stove, being careful not to burn the mixture.

Add small amounts of salt, pepper, garlic powder, sage, and vinegar, until you reach the desired level of “spiciness” (this is entirely up to your personal preference). Then, using a large spoon, ladle the mixture into your cheesecloth sack. Tie off the top of the sack with kitchen string and hang it from a sturdy place (this souse was hung from the stove’s hood). Place a bowl under the souse so that the fat can drip. This process will take three to four days, as the souse dries and congeals.

Pig juice a-drippin'

After about three days, you will have a solid ball of souse, which can be sliced and served with crackers or bread, or eaten straight from the loaf.

The finished product...