In a new salmonella warning, officials in Scott County, Missouri, are asking people who purchased head cheese in New Hamburg to discard it -- raising the very real issue of whether it's worth keeping one of the oldest residents of the deli counter in the rotation.
You could sell me that the reward is worth the risk if we were talking about steak tartare. I appreciate that consuming undercooked meats carries a risk of salmonella. In that case, I'm willing to take my chances because of the satisfaction of having a lovely dish of tartare. But an overly salty, processed meat that carries the moniker of cheese is a harder sell.
Head cheese is made by boiling the head of a calf or pig. The meat is boiled off the bone and chopped. Spices and the cooking liquid are added to the mixture, which is then poured into pans to cool and set. The marrow and cartilage from the animal's head helps the meat to bind together to form a roll.
It's then traditionally served in slices -- the meat equivalent of a jelly roll. In the South, the meat is pickled in vinegar and is known as souse. It is often served or spiced with hot sauce.
Maybe it's time we retire the stuff. Pork cheek is delicious, and for those who are focused on sustainability and using as much of an animal as possible, there are other options for the head of a pig. One such use, as detailed in this incredible video, is porchetta de testa -- a salami that is cooked and spiced, meaning it is safer and savory.
To those who grew up on head cheese, you have my apologies. Let's not force another generation to suffer the same fate.
[Image via Flickr: arkurtur]
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I grew up in a neighborhood and an ethnic community where everyone ate souse, head cheese, hot head chese, pig ears, pig snouts, pigs feet, tripe, mountain oysters,
turkey fries, brains, ox tails, and many other meats that to lots of people would seem unsafe or unsavory. In 49 years I have never personally known or heard of anyone who got salmonella from any of it. If prepared properly there is no problem with it. If you don't like it...don't eat it. That just leaves more for me. By the way, I did nearly die from e-coli which my doctors were actually able to trace back to a t-bone steak I ate in Dodge City. Should we stop having steak available because of that?
I long for scrapple, Amish/Mennonite stuff, everything but the oink. And lots of corn meal.
http://www.habbersettscrapple....
If one consumes sausage, then they should not disparage head cheese. Nasty stuff that it is...
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