Head cheese

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A slice of head cheese

German Sülze.

Head cheese (AmE) or Brawn (BrE) is a cold cut originating in Europe. Another version pickled with vinegar is known as souse. Head cheese is not a cheese, but meat pieces from the head of a calf or pig (sometimes a sheep or cow), in aspic, with onion, black pepper, allspice, bayleaf, salt and/or vinegar. It may also include meat from the feet, tongue and heart. It is usually eaten cold or at room temperature as a luncheon meat.

Historically meat jellies were made of the cleaned (all organs removed) head of the animal, which was simmered to produce stock, a peasant food made since the Middle Ages. When cooled, the stock congeals because of the natural gelatin found in the skull. The aspic may need additional gelatin in order to set properly.

In Europe

Rolled head cheese

Austria

In Austria, head cheese is known as Presswurst.

Bulgaria 

In Bulgaria, the meal пача (pača) is prepared from pig's heads (primarily the ears), legs, and oftentimes tongue. The broth is heavily seasoned with garlic before cooling.

Czech Republic

In Czech Republic, the huspenina or in German Sülze is made from pig's heads and/or legs. Other ingredients are onion, pepper, allspice, bayleaf, vinegar, salt, carrot, parsley, root celery and eggs. Tlačenka is commonly eaten with onions and vinegar.

Denmark, Norway and Sweden

Sylte or Sylta, a pork head cheese seasoned with allspice, bay leaves, and thyme, is part of the traditional Christmas smörgåsbord, served on rugbrød or Lefse with strong mustard and pickled beetroots. Sylte is often prepared from other pork cuts than the head, especially the leaner versions.

Estonia

Sült, similar to the German or Croatian dish (the name is a loan as well), but usually less seasoned and made from higher quality meat. Sometimes carrots or greenstuff are added. Traditional Christmas meal.

Finland

In Finland head cheese is known as syltty, tytinä or aladobi

France

Referred to as fromage de tête, tête pressée, tête fromagée (which translates as "cheesed head") or pâté de tête.

Sour Presssack

Germany

In Germany head cheese is known as Sülze, Schwartenmagen or Presskopf ( In Bavaria "Presssack" comes in 3 varieties, deep red, pinkish and gray in the form of a large ( 15 cm in diameter ) sausage.). The German Sülze can have a tangy flavor due to the addition of 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) besides aspic, the other without. There different versions to serve, sour presssack (Saurer Presssack) in Franconia is served in a salade like setup with a vinaigrette and vegetables.

Sulcze was already mentioned in 1410 and in 1430 in old documents of the Counts of Katzenelnbogen.^[1].

Hungary

A variant of head cheese is disznósajt (so called "pig cheese"), made of mixed meat slices (especially from the head of the pig^[2]), spices, paprika, and pieces of bacon cooked in spicy stock. The chopped meat is stuffed inside the pig's stomach, similar to Scottish haggis. Usually it is smoked like the sausages or the ham.

Iceland

Sviðasulta is a form of head cheese, made from svið, singed lamb's head, sometimes cured in lactic acid.

Italy

In Genoa a similar cold cut goes by the moniker testa in cassetta, literally 'head in a box', but it is possible to find it throughout the entire central and northern Italy, where it is called "coppa di testa" or simply "coppa" or "formaggio di testa"(literally:head cheese) in some northern regions. In central Italy (Lazio, Umbria), it is common to put orange peel pieces in it, or to eat it in a salad made of Head Cheese, oranges and black olives.

Lithuania

Koseliena, usually made with pig's feet.

Netherlands and Belgium

Headcheese is known under several regional names and variations. Brabant : In Brabantic it is called zult and is made with blood. Pig's foot provides the gelatin and a little vinegar is added to the head cheese.Limburg : In Limburgisch it is called hoofdkaas, meaning head cheese, and is eaten on bread or with Limburgisch sausage as a starter. There's a red, sweet variety and a slightly Sour, grey variety. The red one can be compared to Brabantic zult. Sülze and Presskopf are also found in Limburg though the Sülze is less sour whereas the Presskopf 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

In Poland, head cheese is referred to as salceson, a name possibly derived from saucisson, the French word for a type of sausage. There are several varieties of salceson which depend on the ingredients: Black Salceson which contains blood, White Salceson made with a mixture of seasoned meats without blood, and Ozorkowy (Tongue) Salceson where the major meat component is tongue.

Romania

There are two versions of it: The first is called "toba" (same word as for "drum"), which looks like huge sausage, 4 inch diameter. The other form is "piftie" in which the contents are poured into a bowl which is then refrigerated. Not necessarily made of head meat, but also from different kinds of meat, boiled with garlic and bayleaves.

Russia and Ukraine

In Russia and Ukraine, head cheese is a popular food. Head cheese is served for festive occasions such as Christmas. Head cheese is also popular in the Jewish community. More popularly called saltisón ("салтисон").

Serbia and 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 or švargla (the latter being a loan-word from German). The name švargl is used for a variant where the chopped parts are stuffed inside the pig's stomach, similar to Scottish haggis.

Slovakia

A special variety of head cheese, called tlačenka (literally pressed one), is very popular in Slovakia. It is made of pork stomach stuffed with offals and leftover parts of pig's heads and legs. Seasoned with garlic, paprika, black pepper, and other ingredients and usually smoked. It is traditionally served with sliced onion, vinegar, and bread.

Huspenina (also called studeno literally 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, or hladetina.

Spain

This cold cut is known as cabeza de jabali, literally 'boar's head'.

United Kingdom

In England, head sausage is referred to as brawn or, (in Yorkshire and Norfolk), pork cheese; in Scotland, head cheese is known as potted heid (potted head of a cow, pig or sheep; the similar potted haugh/hough made from the shin of the animal).

In other countries

Various versions exist around the world:

Africa

South Africa

In South Africa head cheese is called brawn.

Asia

In certain part of China 'yaorou' (肴肉) is eaten. It is made by boning and pickling pig trotters with brine and alum. The meat is then rolled and pressed and eaten cold. ^[3] 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. ^[4]

Korea

In Korean cuisine, a similar dish is referred to as pyeonyuk (편육) 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, literally feast or banquet).

Vietnam

In Vietnam around Tết, giò thủ is made in celebration for the New Year. It is a traditional snack made of fresh bacon, pig’s ears, garlic, scallions, onions, black fungus, 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 causes it to stick together.

The Caribbean

Souse is pickled pork parts.^[5] The cooked meat is cut into bite sized pieces and soaked in a brine made of water, lime juice and cucumbers. It is usually eaten on Saturday mornings especially in St. Vincent and Barbados. Souse is also popularly served with pudding.

Latin America

Latin America

Head cheese is very popular and is usually referred to as Queso de Cabeza, specifically Queso de Puerco in Mexico. In Peru, Ecuador and Costa Rica, it is also known as Queso de Chancho.

Brazil

In Brazil, head cheese is very popular among the gaucho population and is commonly known as Queijo de Porco (Pig Cheese). In the German colonized cities, such as Pomerode and Blumenau, it follows the German recipe and is known as Sülze.

Middle East

Turkey

Kelle Söğüş is a variation of head cheese made from boiled head of spring lamb, usually served with black pepper and cumin. A thick soup made of the same with addition of vinegar and garlic is also quite popular as a late midnight dish in order to avoid hangovers.

Israel

It is sold refrigerated in convenience stores and called "regel krushah" ^[6]. European Jews, in Yiddish, called it "petchah" or "pootschah", with pronunciation depending on the country of origin of the Yiddish-speaker. There are many variants of the spelling. The origin of this word is apparently the Bulgarian word пача (pača, pronounced "pacha"); see the entry for Bulgaria above. Jewish versions are necessarily made without pork for religious reasons. Typically a calf's foot is used, but there may also be calf's tongue in a petchah. Often, hard-boiled egg halves are included in Jewish head cheeses. ^[7][8]

North America

Head cheese or headcheese

Pennsylvania, United States

In the Pennsylvania Dutch dialect, head cheese is called souse. Pennsylvania Germans usually prepare it from the meat of pig's feet or tongue and it is pickled with sausage.

Louisiana, United States

The highly seasoned hog's head cheese is very popular as a cold cut or appetizer, especially with the Cajun people. A pig's foot provides the gelatin that sets the cheese, and vinegar is typically added to give a sour taste. Due to the French heritage of the state, this European-descended delight is widely eaten by many Louisianans. It is a popular Cajun food, and may also be known as souse meat or simply souse.

Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Throughout Newfoundland, brawn is typically made from wild game such as moose and caribou.

Notes and references