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Head cheese ( Dutch: ''hoofdkaas'') or brawn is a cold cut
terrine Terrine may refer to: * Terrine (cookware), a vessel for cooking a forcemeat loaf * Terrine (food), a forcemeat similar to pâté {{Disambiguation ...
or meat jelly that originated in
Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
. It is made with flesh from the
head A head is the part of an organism which usually includes the ears, brain, forehead, cheeks, chin, eyes, nose, and mouth, each of which aid in various sensory functions such as sight, hearing, smell, and taste. Some very simple animals may ...
of a
calf Calf most often refers to: * Calf (animal), the young of domestic cattle. * Calf (leg), in humans (and other primates), the back portion of the lower leg Calf or calves may also refer to: Biology and animal byproducts * Veal, meat from calves * ...
or
pig The pig (''Sus domesticus''), often called swine, hog, or domestic pig when distinguishing from other members of the genus '' Sus'', is an omnivorous, domesticated, even-toed, hoofed mammal. It is variously considered a subspecies of ''Sus s ...
(less commonly a
sheep Sheep or domestic sheep (''Ovis aries'') are domesticated, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Although the term ''sheep'' can apply to other species in the genus ''Ovis'', in everyday usage it almost always refers to domesticated s ...
or
cow Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus ''Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult ma ...
), typically set in aspic, and usually eaten cold, at room temperature, or in a sandwich. Despite its name the dish is not a
cheese Cheese is a dairy product produced in wide ranges of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fat from milk, usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats, or sheep. During production, ...
and contains no
dairy A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting or processing (or both) of animal milk – mostly from cows or buffaloes, but also from goats, sheep, horses, or camels – for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on ...
products. The parts of the head used vary, and may include the
tongue The tongue is a muscular organ (anatomy), organ in the mouth of a typical tetrapod. It manipulates food for mastication and swallowing as part of the digestive system, digestive process, and is the primary organ of taste. The tongue's upper surfa ...
and sometimes the
feet The foot ( : feet) is an anatomical structure found in many vertebrates. It is the terminal portion of a limb which bears weight and allows locomotion. In many animals with feet, the foot is a separate organ at the terminal part of the leg made ...
and
heart The heart is a muscular organ in most animals. This organ pumps blood through the blood vessels of the circulatory system. The pumped blood carries oxygen and nutrients to the body, while carrying metabolic waste such as carbon dioxide t ...
but do not commonly include the
brain A brain is an organ that serves as the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals. It is located in the head, usually close to the sensory organs for senses such as vision. It is the most complex organ in a v ...
, eyes or ears. Trimmings from more commonly eaten cuts of
pork Pork is the culinary name for the meat of the domestic pig (''Sus domesticus''). It is the most commonly consumed meat worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BCE. Pork is eaten both freshly cooked and preserved; ...
and
veal Veal is the meat of calves, in contrast to the beef from older cattle. Veal can be produced from a calf of either sex and any breed, however most veal comes from young male calves of dairy breeds which are not used for breeding. Generally, v ...
are often used, with
gelatin Gelatin or gelatine (from la, gelatus meaning "stiff" or "frozen") is a translucent, colorless, flavorless food ingredient, commonly derived from collagen taken from animal body parts. It is brittle when dry and rubbery when moist. It may also ...
added as a binder. Variations of head cheese exist throughout Europe and the rest of the world, with differences in construction and ingredients. A version pickled with vinegar is known as ''souse''. Historically, meat jellies were made of the head of an animal, less its organs, which would be simmered to produce a naturally gelatinous stock that would congeal as the dish cooled. Meat jellies made this way were commonly a peasant food and have been made since the
Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
. Modern head cheese recipes may require additional gelatin, or more often need to be reduced to set properly.


Etymology

The English term "head cheese" is a
calque In linguistics, a calque () or loan translation is a word or phrase borrowed from another language by literal word-for-word or root-for-root translation. When used as a verb, "to calque" means to borrow a word or phrase from another language wh ...
derived from the Dutch word ''hoofdkaas'', which literally translates to "head cheese". The term ''hoofdkaas'' can be divided into ''hoofd'' (head) originating from the animal heads commonly used to prepare the dish, and ''kaas'' (cheese) describing the texture, which resembles that of cheese.


Terminology

The term "head cheese" is used in
North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
, "potted heid" in
Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
, "brawn" elsewhere in Britain and
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
. The term "souse", a corruption of the German ''Sülze'', is used for the pickled variety in North America and the
West Indies The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Greater A ...
.


By country


Europe

* Austria: Head cheese is known as ''Presswurst'', ''Sulz'' or ''Schwartamaga'' in the most western regions. Depending on the region, it is often served with a light dressing (vinegar, sunflower seed oil or pumpkin seed oil, sliced onions). * Bulgaria: The meal пача (''pacha'') is prepared from pig's heads (primarily the ears), legs, and often tongue. The broth is heavily seasoned with
garlic Garlic (''Allium sativum'') is a species of bulbous flowering plant in the genus ''Allium''. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, Allium fistulosum, Welsh onion and Allium chinense, Chinese onion. It is native to South A ...
before cooling. * Croatia: This cut is generally known as ''hladetina'', and is commonly produced after the traditional slaughter of pigs. A strongly seasoned version of this cut is called ''tlačenica''. The name ''švargl'' is used for a variant where the chopped parts are stuffed inside the pig's stomach, similar to a Scottish haggis. * Cyprus: made with pork and known as '' zalatina'', a word possibly derived from the English word gelatin. It is often seasoned with lemon juice. * Czech Republic: The ''huspenina'' or ''sulc'' (from German ''Sülze'') is made from pig's heads or legs boiled together, chopped, mixed in their broth, poured into a pan, and left in the cold to solidify. Other ingredients may include onion, pepper, allspice, bayleaf, vinegar, salt, carrot, parsley, root celery, and sometimes eggs. A similar product, ''
tlačenka Tlačenka is the Czech and Slovak variety of head meat similar to Polish ''salceson Salceson is a type of meat found in Polish cuisine and other Central and Eastern European cuisines. There are several varieties of salceson which depend on ...
'', is basically ''huspenina'' with some more meat, chopped liver, and various offal, poured into a prepared pig stomach and left to solidify under the weight. ''Tlačenka'' is generally thicker than ''huspenina,'' and commonly is eaten with chopped onions and sprinkled with vinegar. * Denmark, Norway and Sweden: ''Sylte'', ''sylta'' or ''aladåb'', was originally made from the head of pig, but now commonly is made from the forequarters or shanks of pork or veal and seasoned with
allspice Allspice, also known as Jamaica pepper, myrtle pepper, pimenta, or pimento, is the dried unripe berry (botany), berry of ''Pimenta dioica'', a Canopy (forest), midcanopy tree native to the Greater Antilles, southern Mexico, and Central America, ...
,
bay leaves The bay leaf is an aromatic leaf commonly used in cooking. It can be used whole, either dried or fresh, in which case it is removed from the dish before consumption, or less commonly used in ground form. It may come from several species of tr ...
, and
thyme Thyme () is the herb (dried aerial parts) of some members of the genus ''Thymus'' of aromatic perennial evergreen herbs in the mint family Lamiaceae. Thymes are relatives of the oregano genus ''Origanum'', with both plants being mostly indigenou ...
; this forms part of the traditional Christmas '' smörgåsbord'', served on ''
rugbrød () is a very common form of rye bread from Denmark. usually resembles a long brown extruded rectangle, no more than 12 cm high, and 30–35 cm wide, depending on the bread pan in which it is baked. The basic ingredient is rye flour ...
'' or ''
lefse Lefse () is a traditional soft Norwegian flatbread. It is made with flour, can include riced potatoes, and includes butter, and milk, cream, or lard. It is cooked on a large, flat griddle. Special tools are used to prepare lefse, including a po ...
'' with strong mustard and pickled
beetroot The beetroot is the taproot portion of a beet plant, usually known in North America as beets while the vegetable is referred to as beetroot in British English, and also known as the table beet, garden beet, red beet, dinner beet or golden beet ...
s. A rolled version (Danish/Norwegian: ''rullepølse'', Swedish: ''rullsylta'') made in an otherwise similar way also exists, however this contains very little aspic. * Estonia: ''Sült'' is similar to the German or Croatian dish (the name is a loan, as well), but usually is less seasoned and is made from higher quality meat. Sometimes
carrot The carrot ('' Daucus carota'' subsp. ''sativus'') is a root vegetable, typically orange in color, though purple, black, red, white, and yellow cultivars exist, all of which are domesticated forms of the wild carrot, ''Daucus carota'', nat ...
s or
greens Greens may refer to: *Leaf vegetables such as collard greens, mustard greens, spring greens, winter greens, spinach, etc. Politics Supranational * Green politics * Green party, political parties adhering to Green politics * Global Greens * Europ ...
are added. It is a traditional Christmas dish, but is sold in stores year round. The traditional ''sült'' is made from pork using its gelatinous parts. Beef, poultry, and fish variants also are available. * Finland: Head cheese is known as ''syltty'', ''tytinä'' or ''aladobi''. * France and Belgium: In French, it is referred to as ''fromage de tête'', ''tête pressée'', ''tête fromagée'' (which translates as "cheesed head") or ''pâté de tête''. * Germany: Head cheese is known as ''Sülze'', ''Schwartenmagen'', or ''Presskopf''. In
Bavaria Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...
, ''Presssack'' comes in three varieties (deep red, pinkish, and grey) in the form of a large (15-cm-diameter) sausage. ''Sülze'' can have a tangy flavour by adding pickles or vinegar. It usually takes the form of a rectangular loaf, which is then sliced into portions. There is a white coloured variety and two different red ones, using blood, one made with beef tongue (as in ''
Zungenwurst Blood tongue, or ''Zungenwurst'' (translation ''tongue sausage''), is a variety of German head cheese with blood. It is a large head cheese that is made with pig's blood, suet, bread crumbs and oatmeal with chunks of pickled beef tongue added. I ...
'') and aspic, the other without. In
Franconia Franconia (german: Franken, ; Franconian dialect: ''Franggn'' ; bar, Frankn) is a region of Germany, characterised by its culture and Franconian dialect (German: ''Fränkisch''). The three administrative regions of Lower, Middle and Upper Fr ...
, ''Saurer Presssack'' is served in a salad with a vinaigrette and vegetables. Early references to ''Sulcze'' in documents of the Counts of
Katzenelnbogen Katzenelnbogen () is the name of a castle and small town in the district of Rhein-Lahn-Kreis in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Katzenelnbogen is the seat of the ''Verbandsgemeinde'' ("collective municipality") Aar-Einrich. History Katzenelnboge ...
date from 1410 and 1430. :Using only pure meat of highest quality (i.e., without fat, gristle or meat of lower quality) it is called ''Kaisersülze'' (Emperor's Aspic). * Greece: In Greece and among Greeks of the diaspora, it is known as '' pichti'' "πηχτή" and usually incorporates vinegar. * Hungary: A variant of head cheese, ''disznósajt'', or ''disznófősajt'' (pork cheese or pork head cheese), is made of mixed meat slices (especially from the head of the pig,) spices, paprika, and pieces of bacon cooked in spicy
stock In finance, stock (also capital stock) consists of all the shares by which ownership of a corporation or company is divided.Longman Business English Dictionary: "stock - ''especially AmE'' one of the shares into which ownership of a company ...
. The chopped meat is stuffed into the pig's stomach, similar to Scottish haggis, pricked with needles, then pressed down with weights to remove excess fat and make it tight and compact. Often it is smoked like sausages or ham. * Iceland: ''Sviðasulta'' a form of head cheese, is made from ''
svið Svið (; transliterated as svid or svith) is a traditional Icelandic dish consisting of a sheep's head cut in half, singed to remove the fur, and boiled with the brain removed, sometimes cured in lactic acid. Svið originally arose at a time w ...
'', singed sheep's head, sometimes cured in
lactic acid Lactic acid is an organic acid. It has a molecular formula . It is white in the solid state and it is miscible with water. When in the dissolved state, it forms a colorless solution. Production includes both artificial synthesis as well as natu ...
. * Ireland: ''brawn'' is considered a rare delicacy and is made from pig's head. It dates from at least the early 19th century CE. * Italy: In Genoa, a similar cold cut goes by the name of ''testa in cassetta'', literally "head in a box", but it is possible to find it throughout all of central and northern Italy, where it is called ''coppa di testa'', or simply ''coppa'', ''soppressata'' in Tuscany, or – in some northern regions – ''formaggio di testa'' (head cheese). In central Italy (Lazio, Umbria), it is common to put orange peel pieces in it, or to serve it in a salad together with oranges and black olives. In the Campania region, the head and foot, called "
'O pere e 'o musso O pere e 'o musso is a typical Neapolitan dish, with its name meaning "the foot and the muzzle" in Neapolitan, which refers to its main ingredients: pig's feet and cow snouts. 'O pere e 'o musso is usually sold as street food from carts, in th ...
", is boiled, left whole and sliced, served with lupini beans and fresh lemon. A version in aspic from Sicily known as "liatina" includes the head, feet, skin and ears, flavored with bay leaf, pepper, vinegar and lemon. * Latvia:''Galerts'' is similar Latvian food consisting from meat in gelatin, often with vegetables, such as carrots, and celery added to the resulting colloidal suspension. Horseradish or vinegar can be poured over the ''galerts'' when serving it. * Lithuania: ''Košeliena'' (deriving from ''košė'' (pulp or squash) or ''šaltiena'' (deriving from ''šalta'', "cold", and refers to way of serving the dish), is usually made from pig's feet; sometimes part of head is added. * Luxembourg: ''Jelli'' is basically the same as in the neighboring Germany and France, made from pork, and commonly eaten on buttered bread (optionally with mustard). A specialty are varying kinds of pastries filled with Jelli that are made with aspic containing Riesling wine, like most famously the Rieslingspaschtéit. * Netherlands and Belgium: Head cheese is known under several regional names and variations. In
Brabant Brabant is a traditional geographical region (or regions) in the Low Countries of Europe. It may refer to: Place names in Europe * London-Brabant Massif, a geological structure stretching from England to northern Germany Belgium * Province of Bra ...
, it is called ''zult'' and is made with blood. Pig's foot provides the
gelatin Gelatin or gelatine (from la, gelatus meaning "stiff" or "frozen") is a translucent, colorless, flavorless food ingredient, commonly derived from collagen taken from animal body parts. It is brittle when dry and rubbery when moist. It may also ...
and a little vinegar is added to it. In Limburg, it is called ''hoofdkaas'', meaning head cheese, and is eaten on bread or with
Limburgisch Limburgish ( li, Limburgs or ; nl, Limburgs ; german: Limburgisch ; french: Limbourgeois ), also called Limburgan, Limburgian, or Limburgic, is a West Germanic language spoken in the Dutch and Belgian provinces of Limburg and in the neigh ...
sausage as a starter. A red, sweet variety and a slightly sour, grey variety are available. The red one can be compared to Brabantine ''zult''. Both ''zult'' and ''preskop'' are also found in Limburg, though ''zult'' is less sour, whereas ''preskop'' often contains black pepper and is eaten on wholewheat bread. In Belgium, head cheese is also called ''kop'' or ''kopvlees'', which translates as "meat from the head". * Poland: The nearest Polish equivalent of head cheese is '' salceson''. According to Słownik Wyrazów Obcych PWN, the word comes from the Italian ''salsiccione'' meaning ''salsiccia di grosse dimensioni''. According to Wielka Encyklopedia Powszechna PWN, ''salceson'' traditionally is encased in either a pig's stomach or a cow's bladder. Specific varieties include: ''s. ozorkowy'' (tongue) which uses beef tongue; ''s. brunszwicki'' (Brunswick) which uses liver and is spiced with marjoram; ''s. włoski'' (Italian) which is spiced with garlic, black pepper, fennel and cumin seeds; ''s. czarny'' (black) which contains blood, semolina and bread crumbs, and can be regarded as a variant of ''kaszanka''. * Portugal: known as ''cabeça de xara'', it is mainly prepared in the
Alentejo Alentejo ( , ) is a geographical, historical, and cultural region of south–central and southern Portugal. In Portuguese, its name means "beyond () the Tagus river" (''Tejo''). Alentejo includes the regions of Alto Alentejo and Baixo Alent ...
region. * Romania: Two versions of it are ''tobă'' (drum) or, especially in
Transylvania Transylvania ( ro, Ardeal or ; hu, Erdély; german: Siebenbürgen) is a historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and south its natural border is the Carpathian Mountains, and to the west the Ap ...
, ''caş de cap de porc'' (pig head cheese, akin to the Hungarian ''disznófősajt''), which looks like a wide, four-inch-diameter, sausage and the marginally similar '' piftie''. This is the same dish as Serbian and Macedonian ''
pihtije Aspic or meat jelly () is a savory gelatin made with a meat stock or broth, set in a mold to encase other ingredients. These often include pieces of meat, seafood, vegetable, or eggs. Aspic is also sometimes referred to as ''aspic gelée'' or ''a ...
''), in which the ingredients are poured into a bowl and refrigerated. ''Piftie'' is not necessarily head meat, but can be different kinds of meat, boiled with garlic and bay leaves. It is prepared by boiling pig's feet to make a soup, as feet contain more gelatin than any other part of the pig. The mixture is then cooled to make a jelly. Usually, garlic is added. * Russia: head cheese is a popular food for festive occasions. Beef or lamb head cheese is also popular in the Jewish community. It is more popularly called ''saltisón'' (сальтисон), ''zelts'' (зельц), or ''
kholodets Kholodets (; ) is a small village in the historical Volhynia region, and located 2–3 km from the village of Kupel, in Khmelnytskyi Raion in Khmelnytskyi Oblast of Ukraine. It belongs to Volochysk urban hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. ...
'' (холодец). * Serbia: Head cheese in Serbia is called švargla, and it is particularly popular in northern Serbia, Vojvodina. While each village has its special recipe, with particular seasoning or special cuts of meat added, the basic švargla is made with pig's tongue, heart, kidneys, skin and meat from the head. The meat is seasoned with paprika, salt, black pepper and garlic. Preparation consists of boiling the ingredients, filling the pig's stomach with them, and boiling the whole filled stomach again. Once the boiling is done, švargla is then pressed under weight, and smoked for several days. * Slovakia: A special variety of head cheese, called ''
tlačenka Tlačenka is the Czech and Slovak variety of head meat similar to Polish ''salceson Salceson is a type of meat found in Polish cuisine and other Central and Eastern European cuisines. There are several varieties of salceson which depend on ...
'' (pressed one), is popular in
Slovakia Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the s ...
. It is made of pork stomach stuffed with offal and leftover parts of pig's heads and legs. It is seasoned with
garlic Garlic (''Allium sativum'') is a species of bulbous flowering plant in the genus ''Allium''. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, Allium fistulosum, Welsh onion and Allium chinense, Chinese onion. It is native to South A ...
,
paprika Paprika ( US , ; UK , ) is a spice made from dried and ground red peppers. It is traditionally made from ''Capsicum annuum'' varietals in the Longum group, which also includes chili peppers, but the peppers used for paprika tend to be milder an ...
,
black pepper Black pepper (''Piper nigrum'') is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, known as a peppercorn, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit is a drupe (stonefruit) which is about in diame ...
, and other ingredients and usually
smoked Smoking is the process of flavoring, browning, cooking, or preserving food by exposing it to smoke from burning or smoldering material, most often wood. Meat, fish, and ''lapsang souchong'' tea are often smoked. In Europe, alder is the tradi ...
. It is traditionally served with sliced onion, vinegar, and bread. :'' Huspenina'' (also called ''studeno'', meaning "cold one") is similar to a certain extent, but made with less meat and more gelatine. It is more similar to aspic,
pork jelly Aspic or meat jelly () is a savory gelatin made with a meat stock or broth, set in a mold to encase other ingredients. These often include pieces of meat, seafood, vegetable, or eggs. Aspic is also sometimes referred to as ''aspic gelée'' or ''a ...
, or '' hladetina''. * Slovenia: it is known as ''tlačenka'', "pressed-one", or informally as ''žolca''. * Spain: This cold cut is known as ''cabeza de jabalí'', "boar's head". * Sweden: Known as ''sylta'', a few variations are available with different meats, spices, and preparation methods, the most popular being ''kalvsylta'' (veal brawn), ''pressylta'' (pressed pork and veal brawn), and ''rullsylta'' (rolled and pressed side of pork). Common seasonings are onions, white pepper, allspice, cloves, salt and bay leaves, and occasionally carrots and herbs are added to the ingredients. ''Sylta'' is often regarded as a seasonal food eaten at the '' julbord'' at
Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around t ...
. * Switzerland: The recipe is known as ''sülzli'', and it is typically made with chopped ham or pork. * Ukraine: known as ''kovbyk'', ''kendiukh'' or ''saltseson'', head cheese is usually a combination of a variety of pork meats made into a pressed loaf. * United Kingdom: In England and Wales, head cheese is referred to as brawn or (in Yorkshire and Norfolk) pork cheese. In Scotland, it is known as potted heid (potted head of beef, pork, or sheep); the similar potted ''haugh'' or ''hough'' is made from the shank of the animal.


Africa

South Africa: Known as ''sult'' in
Afrikaans Afrikaans (, ) is a West Germanic language that evolved in the Dutch Cape Colony from the Dutch vernacular of Holland proper (i.e., the Hollandic dialect) used by Dutch, French, and German settlers and their enslaved people. Afrikaans gra ...
and ''brawn'' in
South African English South African English (SAfrE, SAfrEng, SAE, en-ZA) is the set of English language dialects native to South Africans. History British settlers first arrived in the South African region in 1795, when they established a military holding op ...
. It is often flavoured with
curry A curry is a dish with a sauce seasoned with spices, mainly associated with South Asian cuisine. In southern India, leaves from the curry tree may be included. There are many varieties of curry. The choice of spices for each dish in tradit ...
.


Asia

Iran: a common dish for breakfast known as "ckallepache" Or according to common culture kallapch serves in special restaurant: kallepazi. Cooked head of sheep marinated in its oil and cinnamon. Iranians eat it as a heavy dish from about 5:00am China: In certain parts of Northern China, such as Beijing, 'pig head meat' is cooked and thinly sliced and served at room temperature. In the Southern parts of China, ''Xiao Rou'' (肴肉) is made by boning and pickling pig trotters with
brine Brine is a high-concentration solution of salt (NaCl) in water (H2O). In diverse contexts, ''brine'' may refer to the salt solutions ranging from about 3.5% (a typical concentration of seawater, on the lower end of that of solutions used for br ...
and
alum An alum () is a type of chemical compound, usually a hydrated double salt, double sulfate salt (chemistry), salt of aluminium with the general chemical formula, formula , where is a valence (chemistry), monovalent cation such as potassium or a ...
. The meat is then rolled, pressed and eaten cold. In northeastern China, a jellied pork skin dish is often made and served with a spicy soy sauce and vinegar mixture with crushed garlic and red chili powder. Korea: In
Korean cuisine Korean cuisine has evolved through centuries of social and political change. Originating from ancient agricultural and nomadic traditions in Korea and southern Manchuria, Korean cuisine reflects a complex interaction of the natural envi ...
, a similar dish, '' pyeonyuk'' (편육), is made by pressing meat, usually from the head of the pig. It is eaten as ''anju'' (dishes associated with alcoholic beverages) or used for ''janchi'' (잔치, for feast or banquet). Vietnam: In Vietnam around ''
Tết Tết (), short for Tết Nguyên Đán (Chữ Hán: 節元旦), Spring Festival, Lunar New Year, or Vietnamese Lunar New Year is one of the most important celebrations in Vietnamese culture. The colloquial term "Tết" is a shortened form of , ...
'', ''giò thủ'' is made for New Year celebrations. It is a traditional snack made of fresh pork belly, pig's ears, garlic, scallions, onions, black fungus (mushrooms), fish sauce, and cracked black pepper. Traditionally, ''giò thủ'' (pork head meat pie) is wrapped in banana leaves and compressed in a wooden mold until the gelatin in the pig's ears makes it stick together.


Australia

In Australia, it is known as ''brawn'' or ''Presswurst''. It is usually seen as something of an old-fashioned dish, although various large firms, such as D'Orsogna, Don Smallgoods and KR Castlemaine produce it.


Caribbean

Souse is pickled meat and trimmings usually made from pig's feet, chicken feet or cow's tongue, to name a few parts. The cooked meat or trimmings are cut into bite-sized pieces and soaked in a brine made of water, lime juice, cucumbers, hot pepper, salt and specially prepared seasonings. Usually it is eaten on Saturday mornings, especially in St. Vincent and Barbados. In Trinidad and Tobago, it is served or sold at most social gatherings, such as parties, all-inclusive fetes and sporting competitions.


Latin America

Head cheese is popular and is usually referred to as ''queso de cabeza'' in
Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...
and
Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...
. In Peru, Ecuador,
Bolivia , image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg , flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center , flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...
, and Costa Rica, it is also known as ''queso de chancho''. It is known as ''queso de Cerdo'' in Uruguay and Argentina. In
Panama Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Cos ...
, it is known as ''sous'' (from Caribbean English souse), made with pig's feet and prepared the same way as in the Caribbean; it is a dish from the Caribbean coast, where most of Panama's West Indian community resides. In Brazil, head cheese is popular among the '' gaucho'' population and is commonly known as ''queijo de porco'' (pig cheese). In the German-colonized cities, such as
Pomerode Pomerode () is a Brazilian municipality in the state of Santa Catarina, in Southern Brazil. It is located in the valley of the Itajaí-Açu river, not very far from the city of Blumenau, one of the largest cities in the state. Pomerode is known ...
and
Blumenau Blumenau is a city in Vale do Itajaí, state of Santa Catarina (Brazil), Santa Catarina, in the South Region, Brazil, South Region of Brazil. It is away from the state capital of Florianópolis. The city was founded by the German chemist an ...
, it follows the German recipe and is known as ''Sülze''. In Mexico, it is known as ''queso de puerco'' and is usually spiced with oregano, vinegar, garlic, and black pepper.The People's Guide to Mexico By Carl Franz, Carl Franz, Lorena Havens, Steve Rogers, Lorena Havens


North America

Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...
, Canada: the typical jellied meat available in stores is labelled "head cheese", whether or not it is actually made from the head. The large Eastern European community in the province also has a (declining) tradition of making jellied meat at home, usually from pigs' feet, and this is called ''studenetz'' in the local dialect of the Ukrainian language.
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
, United States: In the
Pennsylvania Dutch The Pennsylvania Dutch ( Pennsylvania Dutch: ), also known as Pennsylvania Germans, are a cultural group formed by German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. They emigrated primarily from German-spe ...
dialect The term dialect (from Latin , , from the Ancient Greek word , 'discourse', from , 'through' and , 'I speak') can refer to either of two distinctly different types of Linguistics, linguistic phenomena: One usage refers to a variety (linguisti ...
, head cheese is called souse.
Pennsylvania German The Pennsylvania Dutch (Pennsylvania Dutch: ), also known as Pennsylvania Germans, are a cultural group formed by German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. They emigrated primarily from German-spea ...
s usually prepare it from the meat of pig's feet or tongue and it is pickled with sausage.
Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
,
Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
,
Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...
, and other portions of the
Upper Midwest The Upper Midwest is a region in the northern portion of the U.S. Census Bureau's Midwestern United States. It is largely a sub-region of the Midwest. Although the exact boundaries are not uniformly agreed-upon, the region is defined as referring ...
, United States: Head cheese and sulze are both made from pork snouts and tongues, but head cheese often uses larger chunks of smoked meat, while sulze generally uses unsmoked, chopped meat and has added vinegar and pickles.
Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...
,
Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...
,
Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...
, and other portions of the
Deep South The Deep South or the Lower South is a cultural and geographic subregion in the Southern United States. The term was first used to describe the states most dependent on plantations and slavery prior to the American Civil War. Following the war ...
, United States: The highly seasoned hog's head cheese is very popular as a cold cut or appetizer. A pig's foot provides the
gelatin Gelatin or gelatine (from la, gelatus meaning "stiff" or "frozen") is a translucent, colorless, flavorless food ingredient, commonly derived from collagen taken from animal body parts. It is brittle when dry and rubbery when moist. It may also ...
that sets the cheese, and vinegar is typically added to give a sour taste. It is a popular Cajun food and is often encountered seasoned with green onions. It is called in Louisiana French; ''fromage de cochon''. In Mississippi, Alabama, and other Southern states, it is encountered in a spicy form known as souse or less spicy hog's head cheese.
Newfoundland and Labrador Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...
, Canada: Throughout Newfoundland, brawn is typically made from wild game such as moose and caribou.
Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
, Canada: Commercial, processed versions made with pork are sold in the deli section in some grocery stores in Ontario, such as in the German 'heimat' of
Waterloo Region The Regional Municipality of Waterloo (Waterloo Region or Region of Waterloo) is a metropolitan area of Southern Ontario, Canada. It contains the cities of Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo (KWC or Tri-Cities), and the townships of North Dumfr ...
.
Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...
, Canada: Called ''tête fromagée'', it is commonly available in grocery stores and butcher shops along with ''
cretons In Quebec cuisine, (sometimes gorton or corton, especially among New Englanders of French-Canadian origin) is a forcemeat-style pork spread containing onions and spices. Due to its fatty texture and taste, it resembles French '' rillettes''. ...
'' and ''terrines''.
Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island (PEI; ) is one of the thirteen Provinces and territories of Canada, provinces and territories of Canada. It is the smallest province in terms of land area and population, but the most densely populated. The island has seve ...
, Canada: Now uncommon and seen as old fashioned. It was common before 1970 and often referred to as Potted head or Potted meat.
New Brunswick New Brunswick (french: Nouveau-Brunswick, , locally ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. It is the only province with both English and ...
, Canada: A spread similar to
cretons In Quebec cuisine, (sometimes gorton or corton, especially among New Englanders of French-Canadian origin) is a forcemeat-style pork spread containing onions and spices. Due to its fatty texture and taste, it resembles French '' rillettes''. ...
made from pork head and
Boston Butt A Boston butt is the slightly wedged shaped portion of the pork shoulder above the standard picnic cut which includes the blade bone and the "lean butt" (which is boneless), both extensions of the tenderloin cut and can be used in place of the te ...
and seasoned primarily with onion, salt, and summer savory, is often referred to as head cheese.


See also

*
Blood tongue Blood tongue, or ''Zungenwurst'' (translation ''tongue sausage''), is a variety of German head cheese with blood. It is a large head cheese that is made with pig's blood, suet, bread crumbs and oatmeal with chunks of pickled beef tongue added. I ...
*
Pork jelly Aspic or meat jelly () is a savory gelatin made with a meat stock or broth, set in a mold to encase other ingredients. These often include pieces of meat, seafood, vegetable, or eggs. Aspic is also sometimes referred to as ''aspic gelée'' or ''a ...
*
P'tcha P'tcha, fisnoga or galareta (also known as "calves' foot jelly") is a traditional Ashkenazi cuisine, Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine, Jewish dish. It is a kind of aspic prepared from calves' feet. The name appears to derive from the Turkish words ''paça ...


References

The term "head cheese" was mentioned in the first installment of the Texas Chain Saw Massacre franchise.


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Head Cheese Lunch meat Offal Hungarian cuisine German cuisine Romanian cuisine Bulgarian cuisine Cuisine of the Southern United States Chilean cuisine Scottish cuisine Czech cuisine Slovak cuisine Finnish cuisine Estonian cuisine Latvian cuisine Lithuanian cuisine Polish cuisine Smoked meat Croatian cuisine Peasant food