"Farmers do not raise walking pork chops. If you're serious about your meat, you've got to grasp that concept. And if you're serious about sustainability and about honestly raised good meat ... you've got to embrace the whole pig...A farm turns out a head on each beautiful, well-raised pig, but nobody's rushing to eat it. That's where the cook steps in: you take it, cook it: elevate it, honor it, lavish it with care and attention - whether you're slicing scallions or spooning out caviar or boiling up half a pig's head. Turning ingredients into food, and sometimes almost literally turning a pig's ear into a silk purse, is what cooks do in the kitchen." (D. Chang, 2009, p.201)
Okay. I'm motivated. I got lucky and yesterday MSF (
Marin Sun Farms) had a head available.
At first it wasn't easy to handle it without having second thoughts and wondering if I was getting in over my
own head but I was reminded of the hundreds of heads I had seen in markets in China and Mexico and how preparing a head to eat is one of the most normal things to do in most of the world. And when the incredibly wonderful aroma from the simmering pot hit me, I knew that I was onto something.
I was also able to pick up a couple of items for the freezer:
a bag of chicken parts and
2 lbs of pig skin for future cooking.
The head is simmering now and all is well but I do have a word of warning: make sure that you have a pot that is big enough for the head. If not, you'll need a heavy cleaver, a hammer, and someone with a strong will and arm to cut through the snout. Well, it worked out but I don't recommend it. I'll post the next steps tomorrow.
I've been following your blog & love it. tutu told me that john told her that you ate the pig's eyes! is this true or just tutu's version of reality? if you did cook the eyes - how did you do this? what were they like? bts
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