Author Topic: Offal: Nose to Tail Cooking (NOW WITH PICTURES PER REQUEST OF SD)  (Read 17338 times)

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Offline asava

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Have always been interested in cooking odd bits of the pig...

Last week i came across probably one of the most interesting craigslist for sale ad's i have seen. A processing plant had posted a bulletin offering a special on pig heads. $5 for each head. Naturally, i called them up to check it out. So apparently no one in town utilizes these things, and when it comes to slaughtering time the plant just stores them in their deep freeze.

I know that a pigs head can be used for several dishes (head cheese, porchetta di testa, broths, etc.) so i decided to go pick a couple up. I am planning on using it in a ramen broth that i will be making later tonight. The heads happened to be skinned, which might ruin the chance at doing a head cheese or a porchetta di testa. That was a bit of a disappointment, and i had a convo with the manager of the plant to see if i could request a head or two with the skin on it.

The heads all have their jowls, tongues and brains in tact. I'm not sure if i want to mess around with the brain, but the jowls and the tongues are a must use. I've seen jowls cured into a bacon called Guanciale, and i've also seen them slow cooked, and smoked. The tongue i've had in street tacos before, but not sure how to go about cooking it. Imagine it is just a slow cook?

Figured I would give it a shot and see if anyone else here does this sort of stuff and if there are any tips and/or recipes incorporating the odd parts of the pig. Any ideas?


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« Last Edit: February 25, 2013, 07:29:43 PM by asava »

Offline steve dave

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Re: Offal: Nose to Tail Cooking
« Reply #1 on: February 25, 2013, 11:16:34 AM »
GRIZZZZZZZZOOOOOOS

Offline ChiComCat

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Re: Offal: Nose to Tail Cooking
« Reply #2 on: February 25, 2013, 11:18:03 AM »
I don't, but have a fascination with it as well.  I am going to Cochon 555 in Vail a couple weeks and am hoping the chef's there get creative.  Butchery demo there could be helpful to you.  Definitely keep this thread up to date as I might also try my hand with pig's heads.

Offline steve dave

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Re: Offal: Nose to Tail Cooking
« Reply #3 on: February 25, 2013, 11:18:43 AM »
SICKENING!

Offline CNS

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Re: Offal: Nose to Tail Cooking
« Reply #4 on: February 25, 2013, 11:20:14 AM »
Does that stuff taste like super fantastic good?  I mean, it would have to be amazing for me to not just go buy the parts of a pig I already know are amazing and cook them.

Offline Dugout DickStone

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Re: Offal: Nose to Tail Cooking
« Reply #5 on: February 25, 2013, 11:20:56 AM »
I was all set to go dine with Pete and contribute to his "Straight Talk" thread but now I am too grossed out to even think about lunch.

Offline asava

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Re: Offal: Nose to Tail Cooking
« Reply #6 on: February 25, 2013, 11:21:37 AM »
I don't, but have a fascination with it as well.  I am going to Cochon 555 in Vail a couple weeks and am hoping the chef's there get creative.  Butchery demo there could be helpful to you.  Definitely keep this thread up to date as I might also try my hand with pig's heads.

I'll definitely keep this updated. For broth, you have to roast the head. Think it will make for a pretty gnarly picture (will post for steve dave). Honestly, the broth you can make from these things is so good that I don't care if I get any other use out of it, but I know that the jowls can be incredible. I also have a recipe for a pig head stew, which I might make next week.

Offline steve dave

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Re: Offal: Nose to Tail Cooking
« Reply #7 on: February 25, 2013, 11:21:46 AM »
BARF!

Offline _33

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Re: Offal: Nose to Tail Cooking
« Reply #8 on: February 25, 2013, 11:24:33 AM »
I bought a whole chicken the other day.  I almost threw up trying to cut it apart because it looked like a chicken.

Offline asava

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Re: Offal: Nose to Tail Cooking
« Reply #9 on: February 25, 2013, 11:26:02 AM »
Does that stuff taste like super fantastic good?  I mean, it would have to be amazing for me to not just go buy the parts of a pig I already know are amazing and cook them.

Head cheese and porchetta di testa are extremely good. So is Guanciale (a better form of bacon, essentially).

Really, it's about getting past the process of it. If you can get beyond that you can enjoy some truly delicious food.



Offline steve dave

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Re: Offal: Nose to Tail Cooking
« Reply #10 on: February 25, 2013, 11:27:47 AM »
You guys want to know what I've been wanting to try? Eating, like, a salad made of sticks I found on the ground covered with ants and dirt and use sewer water for dressing and then roll around on a floor completely covered with thumbtacks with the pointy ends all facing up.

Offline CNS

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Re: Offal: Nose to Tail Cooking
« Reply #11 on: February 25, 2013, 11:28:01 AM »
I think regular bacon is fantastic.  I mean, I can't imagine some cheek bacon being so much better that I have to process a head.   :dunno:

Offline asava

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Re: Offal: Nose to Tail Cooking
« Reply #12 on: February 25, 2013, 11:34:27 AM »
I think regular bacon is fantastic.  I mean, I can't imagine some cheek bacon being so much better that I have to process a head.   :dunno:

you don't necessarily have to process a head for it. should be able to order them separate from a butcher, but the fact that the heads i bought have them is a huge plus.

Offline steve dave

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Re: Offal: Nose to Tail Cooking
« Reply #13 on: February 25, 2013, 11:36:14 AM »
asava's house: completely full of rotting pigs heads

Offline ChiComCat

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Re: Offal: Nose to Tail Cooking
« Reply #14 on: February 25, 2013, 11:37:02 AM »
I don't, but have a fascination with it as well.  I am going to Cochon 555 in Vail a couple weeks and am hoping the chef's there get creative.  Butchery demo there could be helpful to you.  Definitely keep this thread up to date as I might also try my hand with pig's heads.

I'll definitely keep this updated. For broth, you have to roast the head. Think it will make for a pretty gnarly picture (will post for steve dave). Honestly, the broth you can make from these things is so good that I don't care if I get any other use out of it, but I know that the jowls can be incredible. I also have a recipe for a pig head stew, which I might make next week.

Sounds amazing - seriously though, look into Cochon 555.  It seems like the best thing I've ever seen and am insanely pumped for it.  Bingeing and pig is my heaven.

Also, Euclid Hall in Denver does some interesting things with pig.  Great blood sausage and pad thai pigs ears.

Offline _33

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Re: Offal: Nose to Tail Cooking
« Reply #15 on: February 25, 2013, 11:39:00 AM »
Asava, you should put one on a stick in front of your house as a warning to all the pigs nearby that they better not mess with you.

Offline asava

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Re: Offal: Nose to Tail Cooking
« Reply #16 on: February 25, 2013, 11:44:14 AM »
I don't, but have a fascination with it as well.  I am going to Cochon 555 in Vail a couple weeks and am hoping the chef's there get creative.  Butchery demo there could be helpful to you.  Definitely keep this thread up to date as I might also try my hand with pig's heads.

I'll definitely keep this updated. For broth, you have to roast the head. Think it will make for a pretty gnarly picture (will post for steve dave). Honestly, the broth you can make from these things is so good that I don't care if I get any other use out of it, but I know that the jowls can be incredible. I also have a recipe for a pig head stew, which I might make next week.

Sounds amazing - seriously though, look into Cochon 555.  It seems like the best thing I've ever seen and am insanely pumped for it.  Bingeing and pig is my heaven.

Also, Euclid Hall in Denver does some interesting things with pig.  Great blood sausage and pad thai pigs ears.

I've been to Euclid Hall before and had the marrow, but didn't try the blood sausage or pig ears. Will definitely give them a taste next time. Next time i'm in vail i will for sure look up Cochon 555. Did you say they do butchering demos? Do they do lessons?

fyi: the local pig in kc does, from what i've heard, awesome lessons.

http://www.thelocalpig.com/

Offline SkinnyBenny

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Re: Offal: Nose to Tail Cooking
« Reply #17 on: February 25, 2013, 11:47:13 AM »
PLEASE MOVE TO SHAME YOURSELF THREAD. MY GOD. How does your elite percussionist fiancee feel about having rotting pig heads sitting around on top of her drum set?
"walking around mhk and crying in the rain because of love lost is the absolute purest and best thing in the world.  i hope i fall in love during the next few weeks and get my heart broken and it starts raining just to experience it one last time."   --Dlew12

Offline asava

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Re: Offal: Nose to Tail Cooking
« Reply #18 on: February 25, 2013, 11:52:44 AM »
PLEASE MOVE TO SHAME YOURSELF THREAD. MY GOD. How does your elite percussionist fiancee feel about having rotting pig heads sitting around on top of her drum set?

she has elected to remove herself from the kitchen when i take them out of the fridge or freezer.

Offline ChiComCat

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Re: Offal: Nose to Tail Cooking
« Reply #19 on: February 25, 2013, 11:55:45 AM »
I don't, but have a fascination with it as well.  I am going to Cochon 555 in Vail a couple weeks and am hoping the chef's there get creative.  Butchery demo there could be helpful to you.  Definitely keep this thread up to date as I might also try my hand with pig's heads.

I'll definitely keep this updated. For broth, you have to roast the head. Think it will make for a pretty gnarly picture (will post for steve dave). Honestly, the broth you can make from these things is so good that I don't care if I get any other use out of it, but I know that the jowls can be incredible. I also have a recipe for a pig head stew, which I might make next week.

Sounds amazing - seriously though, look into Cochon 555.  It seems like the best thing I've ever seen and am insanely pumped for it.  Bingeing and pig is my heaven.

Also, Euclid Hall in Denver does some interesting things with pig.  Great blood sausage and pad thai pigs ears.

I've been to Euclid Hall before and had the marrow, but didn't try the blood sausage or pig ears. Will definitely give them a taste next time. Next time i'm in vail i will for sure look up Cochon 555. Did you say they do butchering demos? Do they do lessons?

fyi: the local pig in kc does, from what i've heard, awesome lessons.

http://www.thelocalpig.com/

Cochon 555 is like a traveling tour where they take a bunch of elite chefs and give them each a pig.  They cook the pig head to tail and everyone parties and drinks at an open bar.  Its in Vail March 10th and then will be back for the finals in Aspen at the Food & Wine thing

Offline pissclams

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Re: Offal: Nose to Tail Cooking
« Reply #20 on: February 25, 2013, 12:31:20 PM »
pig ears are really popular right now.  also the ny times recently did an article on the local pigs classes.  the pork i get from him is pretty incredible (and really expensive).


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Offline raquetcat

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Re: Offal: Nose to Tail Cooking
« Reply #21 on: February 25, 2013, 02:42:36 PM »
If that processor is giving away pig heads that cheap with the jowls and tongue still in tact they must be pretty small timey or idiots (because they don't realize the market that's there). I wouldn't mess with the brain there have been reports of pig processing plant workers getting sick when working with them. Cheek meat is alright to use too. A newer export item some companies are selling is the bung (last foot or so of intestine), they wash it out and apparently people stuff it with vegetables and use it as a casing. Seeing a whole hog butchered is interesting and something you should definitely check out, also very hard work when only using hand tools.
I'm purple down

Offline steve dave

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Re: Offal: Nose to Tail Cooking
« Reply #22 on: February 25, 2013, 02:47:17 PM »
heard a story on NPR abour how calamari exporters are replacing it with pig bung

Offline CNS

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Re: Offal: Nose to Tail Cooking
« Reply #23 on: February 25, 2013, 02:52:08 PM »
heard a story on NPR abour how calamari exporters are replacing it with pig bung

Welp....

 Never ordering that again.

Offline ChiComCat

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Re: Offal: Nose to Tail Cooking
« Reply #24 on: February 25, 2013, 02:52:58 PM »
heard a story on NPR abour how calamari exporters are replacing it with pig bung

That was during an episode of This American Life about doppelgangers and was a joke.  Caused a lot of outrage from calamari people because so many people missed the explanation.

On the other hand, tuna is supposedly actual tuna less than half the time because tuna people are the seafood employees that are, in fact, liars.