There was a recent discussion on RFC about Head Cheese and Souse. I
remember having them when I was a kid so I decided to try and make some.
Besides my memory, I looked at dozens of recipes and came up with a
basic plan.

For pictures, look at
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?ai...1&l=37af18e0e2

CONSTRUCTION - I didn't want to use a pigs head and many recipes used
pigs feet so that is what I did. Since the feet have little to no meat,
I added meat from a pork roast. I boiled the feet and roast with
onions, garlic, black pepper and bay leaves until the meat fell off the
bones. Separated bones from meat and skin, rough chopped the meat and
skin and added some chopped dill pickles. Reduced the boiling liquid
and added a packet of unflavored gelatin.

Note - I did not use all of the pork roast. Much of that is going to be
used in other dishes.

Put the meat mixture in two loaf pans and covered with the reduced
boiling water. Into the fridge overnight.

The loaves set up real well... nice and firm. There is so much collagen
in the pigs feet that I probably didn't have to add the gelatin.
Unmolded easily, looked good, sliced well..... tasted bland. VERY
bland. Crap.

DE-CONSTRUCTION - OK... I didn't go through all this for such crappy
results so I unmolded the other pan, put both loaves in the microwave
for a few minutes until the gelatin melted and the mixture was warm.

RE-CONSTRUCTION - So what was missing? Needed salt. More vinegar and a
lot more minced dill pickles. A small touch of hot sauce (it is
Louisiana, you know) and some pimentos to give it a little color. Black
pepper... taste... more salt... taste again. That's better. Back into
the loaf pans, back into the refrigerator.

This morning I unmolded one pan. Again, the Souse was firm, looked good
and sliced well. Took a taste... now that's more like it! The pork
flavor really comes out with a hint of the pickles and vinegar.

NEXT TIME - Live and learn. The next time I make this, I make double
sure I have the seasoning the way I like it before I put it in the loaf
pans. Handling the mixture twice like I had to broke down some of the
meat into tiny pieces. Souse is often like that... but I prefer bigger
pieces. Getting it right the first time should solve that.

George L

"George Leppla" schrieb :
>
> There was a recent discussion on RFC about Head Cheese and Souse. I
> remember having them when I was a kid so I decided to try and make some.
> Besides my memory, I looked at dozens of recipes and came up with a
> basic plan.
>
> For pictures, look at
> http://www.facebook.com/album.php?ai...1&l=37af18e0e2
>
> CONSTRUCTION - I didn't want to use a pigs head and many recipes used
> pigs feet so that is what I did. Since the feet have little to no meat,
> I added meat from a pork roast. I boiled the feet and roast with
> onions, garlic, black pepper and bay leaves until the meat fell off the
> bones. Separated bones from meat and skin, rough chopped the meat and
> skin and added some chopped dill pickles. Reduced the boiling liquid
> and added a packet of unflavored gelatin.
>
> Note - I did not use all of the pork roast. Much of that is going to be
> used in other dishes.
>
> Put the meat mixture in two loaf pans and covered with the reduced
> boiling water. Into the fridge overnight.
>
> The loaves set up real well... nice and firm. There is so much collagen
> in the pigs feet that I probably didn't have to add the gelatin.
> Unmolded easily, looked good, sliced well..... tasted bland. VERY
> bland. Crap.
>
> DE-CONSTRUCTION - OK... I didn't go through all this for such crappy
> results so I unmolded the other pan, put both loaves in the microwave
> for a few minutes until the gelatin melted and the mixture was warm.
>
> RE-CONSTRUCTION - So what was missing? Needed salt. More vinegar and a
> lot more minced dill pickles. A small touch of hot sauce (it is
> Louisiana, you know) and some pimentos to give it a little color. Black
> pepper... taste... more salt... taste again. That's better. Back into
> the loaf pans, back into the refrigerator.
>
> This morning I unmolded one pan. Again, the Souse was firm, looked good
> and sliced well. Took a taste... now that's more like it! The pork
> flavor really comes out with a hint of the pickles and vinegar.
>
> NEXT TIME - Live and learn. The next time I make this, I make double
> sure I have the seasoning the way I like it before I put it in the loaf
> pans. Handling the mixture twice like I had to broke down some of the
> meat into tiny pieces. Souse is often like that... but I prefer bigger
> pieces. Getting it right the first time should solve that.
>
Ah, you're trying to make Sulze (or Sülze, as the Germans call it).
Do you want an Austrian recipe ?

Cheers,

Michael Kuettner

Michael Kuettner wrote:
>
> "George Leppla" schrieb :
>>
>> There was a recent discussion on RFC about Head Cheese and Souse. I
>> remember having them when I was a kid so I decided to try and make some.
>> Besides my memory, I looked at dozens of recipes and came up with a
>> basic plan.
>>
>> For pictures, look at
>> http://www.facebook.com/album.php?ai...1&l=37af18e0e2
>>
>> CONSTRUCTION - I didn't want to use a pigs head and many recipes used
>> pigs feet so that is what I did. Since the feet have little to no meat,
>> I added meat from a pork roast. I boiled the feet and roast with
>> onions, garlic, black pepper and bay leaves until the meat fell off the
>> bones. Separated bones from meat and skin, rough chopped the meat and
>> skin and added some chopped dill pickles. Reduced the boiling liquid
>> and added a packet of unflavored gelatin.
>>
>> Note - I did not use all of the pork roast. Much of that is going to
>> be used in other dishes.
>>
>> Put the meat mixture in two loaf pans and covered with the reduced
>> boiling water. Into the fridge overnight.
>>
>> The loaves set up real well... nice and firm. There is so much collagen
>> in the pigs feet that I probably didn't have to add the gelatin.
>> Unmolded easily, looked good, sliced well..... tasted bland. VERY
>> bland. Crap.
>>
>> DE-CONSTRUCTION - OK... I didn't go through all this for such crappy
>> results so I unmolded the other pan, put both loaves in the microwave
>> for a few minutes until the gelatin melted and the mixture was warm.
>>
>> RE-CONSTRUCTION - So what was missing? Needed salt. More vinegar and a
>> lot more minced dill pickles. A small touch of hot sauce (it is
>> Louisiana, you know) and some pimentos to give it a little color. Black
>> pepper... taste... more salt... taste again. That's better. Back into
>> the loaf pans, back into the refrigerator.
>>
>> This morning I unmolded one pan. Again, the Souse was firm, looked good
>> and sliced well. Took a taste... now that's more like it! The pork
>> flavor really comes out with a hint of the pickles and vinegar.
>>
>> NEXT TIME - Live and learn. The next time I make this, I make double
>> sure I have the seasoning the way I like it before I put it in the loaf
>> pans. Handling the mixture twice like I had to broke down some of the
>> meat into tiny pieces. Souse is often like that... but I prefer bigger
>> pieces. Getting it right the first time should solve that.
>>
> Ah, you're trying to make Sulze (or Sülze, as the Germans call it).
> Do you want an Austrian recipe ?


Yep... there are a lot of different names and versions. I'd be happy to
see your recipe. Both sides of my family were from Germany (my middle
name is Helmuth) so I guess I come by my curiosity about this dish
naturally.

When I lived in PA, both Head Cheese and Souse were available at the
Amish and Mennonite Farmer's Markets.

Frohe Weihnachten!

George L

George Leppla wrote:
> Michael Kuettner wrote:"
>>>
>>>
>>> For pictures, look at
>>> http://www.facebook.com/album.php?ai...1&l=37af18e0e2
>>>
>>>
>>>
>> Ah, you're trying to make Sulze (or Sülze, as the Germans call it).
>> Do you want an Austrian recipe ?
>
> Yep... there are a lot of different names and versions. I'd be happy
> to see your recipe. Both sides of my family were from Germany (my
> middle name is Helmuth) so I guess I come by my curiosity about this
> dish naturally.
>
> When I lived in PA, both Head Cheese and Souse were available at the
> Amish and Mennonite Farmer's Markets.
>
> Frohe Weihnachten!
>
> George L


Whatever you call this, it tasted wonderful. Now I would like to try it
with spicy brown mustard.


Becca

"George Leppla" schrieb :
> Michael Kuettner wrote:
<snip>
>> Ah, you're trying to make Sulze (or Sülze, as the Germans call it).
>> Do you want an Austrian recipe ?
>
>
> Yep... there are a lot of different names and versions. I'd be happy to
> see your recipe. Both sides of my family were from Germany (my middle
> name is Helmuth) so I guess I come by my curiosity about this dish
> naturally.
>
> When I lived in PA, both Head Cheese and Souse were available at the Amish
> and Mennonite Farmer's Markets.
>
> Frohe Weihnachten!
>
OK, here we go.

Haussulz

1.5 - 2 kg pig head or feet
pig skin
water, vinegar, salt
1 large onion, peeled and cut in halves
1 - 1.5 carrot(s), roughly chopped
as much parsley roots as the carrots weigh, roughly chopped
as much celeriac as the carrots weigh, roughly chopped
1 leek
8 pepper corns
4 pimentum corns
1 branch thyme
1/2 a bayleaf
some lemon peel

Put meat in pot. Add water so that it is well covered.
Bring to a boil. Remove the foam.
Reduce to simmering. Add everything else.
Adjust salt and vinegar after 15 minutes.
Let the meat slowly simmer until it is done.
Remove meat from pot and cut into small cubes or slices
to your liking.
Put the meat in a dish or form.
Defat the liquid and strain it through a sieve.
Pour over meat and stir so that the meat is evenly distributed.
Refridgerate.

It's served in slices; with finely sliced onions, vinegar, oil,
salt, pepper and bread or rolls.

Frohe Weihnachten,

Michael Kuettner

On Thu, 24 Dec 2009 11:00:20 -0600, George Leppla wrote:

> There was a recent discussion on RFC about Head Cheese and Souse. I
> remember having them when I was a kid so I decided to try and make some.
> Besides my memory, I looked at dozens of recipes and came up with a
> basic plan.
>
> For pictures, look at
> http://www.facebook.com/album.php?ai...1&l=37af18e0e2
>

pork roast at sixty-seven cents a pound? i'm dyin' here.

your pal,
blake

Michael Kuettner wrote:
>
> "George Leppla" schrieb :
>> Michael Kuettner wrote:
> <snip>
>>> Ah, you're trying to make Sulze (or Sülze, as the Germans call it).
>>> Do you want an Austrian recipe ?
>>
>>
>> Yep... there are a lot of different names and versions. I'd be happy
>> to see your recipe. Both sides of my family were from Germany (my
>> middle name is Helmuth) so I guess I come by my curiosity about this
>> dish naturally.
>>
>> When I lived in PA, both Head Cheese and Souse were available at the
>> Amish and Mennonite Farmer's Markets.
>>
>> Frohe Weihnachten!
>>
> OK, here we go.
>
> Haussulz
>
> 1.5 - 2 kg pig head or feet
> pig skin
> water, vinegar, salt
> 1 large onion, peeled and cut in halves
> 1 - 1.5 carrot(s), roughly chopped
> as much parsley roots as the carrots weigh, roughly chopped
> as much celeriac as the carrots weigh, roughly chopped
> 1 leek
> 8 pepper corns
> 4 pimentum corns
> 1 branch thyme
> 1/2 a bayleaf
> some lemon peel
>
> Put meat in pot. Add water so that it is well covered.
> Bring to a boil. Remove the foam.
> Reduce to simmering. Add everything else.
> Adjust salt and vinegar after 15 minutes.
> Let the meat slowly simmer until it is done.
> Remove meat from pot and cut into small cubes or slices
> to your liking.
> Put the meat in a dish or form.
> Defat the liquid and strain it through a sieve.
> Pour over meat and stir so that the meat is evenly distributed.
> Refridgerate.
>
> It's served in slices; with finely sliced onions, vinegar, oil,
> salt, pepper and bread or rolls.
>
> Frohe Weihnachten,
>
> Michael Kuettner

Thank you, Michael. I am not a big fan of root vegetables, but as part
of the stock, they might well increase the flavor. I'll file this
version away and try to incorporate some ides intot he next time I try
making this.

George L

"George Leppla" schrieb :
> Michael Kuettner wrote:
<snip>
>> Haussulz
<snip>

> Thank you, Michael. I am not a big fan of root vegetables, but as part
> of the stock, they might well increase the flavor. I'll file this
> version away and try to incorporate some ides intot he next time I try
> making this.

Oh, they do. Those 3 root vegetables are also essential in beef soup.

Cheers,

Michael Kuettner

"Arri London" schrieb :
>
<snip Sulz>

> That just sounds fantastic! A project for the New Year's meal

Glad you like it. Pig's head or Sulze is eaten as a good luck meal
on New Year's day.

Cheers,

Michael Kuettner

Michael Kuettner wrote:
>
> "Arri London" schrieb :
> >
> <snip Sulz>
>
> > That just sounds fantastic! A project for the New Year's meal
>
> Glad you like it. Pig's head or Sulze is eaten as a good luck meal
> on New Year's day.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Michael Kuettner

We do often have pork for that reason but not souse/sulze/headcheese.

It's easy enough to get a pig's head from the Mexican market, but will
go with the pork feet instead. Don't like my food looking at me LOL.