I Cook A Pig Head -- Part 4
Channel: slobomotion
Date: 10/12/2013

Digital video recording, comments and annotations copyright 2013 Lisa B. Falour, B.S., M.B.A.
cutecatfaith.com
Dailymotion:  LisaFalour
YouTube:  SLOBOMOTION, CUTECATFAITH

I put a lot of details in the lowbars of the first three, and there is also a clip up of buying it in my local greenmarket here in France.  So far it's still not finished and is a long process over three days.  The meat fell right off the bone and the tough parts got soft and gelatinous.  The skull was roasted for stock.

It takes a hugely long time to cook down the broth, the "pig glue," which must reduce by two thirds.  It is then poured strained repeatedly and poured over carefully picked over and minced meat.  I didn't seem to need to adjust any seasonings -- I was already using some broth from a garbure, which is a Savoy cabbage soup.

Some people like this spicy and you can add pretty things to color it up, fresh parsley, et c.  I'm not sure I'm going to add anything more.  I will have to put the fine dice of meat in terrines and pour the thick broth over it, cool it, cover and press it, then chill it.

I'm amazed the head fell apart so well.  I did have to turn it often in a huge pot and I may have cooked mine too long, but it was easy.  Some people like this with a lot of vinegar and hot spice in it but I'm going for a milder French version.  Even the tough ears fell to jelly.  I was amazed -- I never was able to eat them before.

I've made photos and will try to assemble a slideshow with annotations.  In this mini-series, you can see a process and the head cost less than nine euros.

I did set it for 15 minutes in vinegar water to start.  The head had already been shaved and was very clean but there were still some bristles in two crannies around the eyes.

The broth has to be strained and strained -- "pig glue."  Cooked and reduced by two thirds.