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Hey y'all! Wanna try a taste of Southern tradition without all the… hog head? I hear you! This Mock Hog Head Cheese recipe gives you all the savory, flavorful goodness of the real deal, but without having to wrestle with a whole hog head! We're using a pork roast to create a delicious terrine that's perfect for sandwiches, crackers, or snackin'. This easy pork terrine is sure to become a new favorite, and it’s way easier to make!
This recipe can be made any time of year, it is popular for Easter though, strangely enough.
I like it for any gathering, it can become addicting.
Jump to:
- What is Hog Head Cheese? (And Why We're Making a Mock Version)
- Groceries you'll need: Ingredients
- Recipe walkthrough: Instructions
- Recipe variations and substitute ideas
- Necessary gear: equipment
- More southern snack recipes I think you'll love
- How to store hog head cheese
- Mel's kitchen notes
- Frequently asked questions: FAQs
- Mock Hog Head Cheese: All the Flavor, None of the Fuss (Easy Pork Terrine!)
- 💬 Comments
What is Hog Head Cheese? (And Why We're Making a Mock Version)
- What Hog Head Cheese is (traditionally): A terrine or aspic made from the meat from a hog's head. Parts of the head are used and I know some people find this intimidating, this is one of the reasons I make this mock version.
- There are lots of people that get in their own head (pardon the pun) about eating parts of an animals head and offal, just the thought of it turns them off before even trying it.
- The Mock Version: This recipe captures the flavor of Hog Head Cheese without using a whole hog head.
- Using a pork roast makes this recipe so much more accessible and inclusive.
Groceries you'll need: Ingredients
- Pork Roast (I used a picnic roast, that has a good layer of skin and fat)
- Pork Neck Bones
- Yellow Onions
- Browning Sauce
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Dried Parsley
- Green Onions
- Cayenne Pepper
- Creole Seasoning
- Hot Sauce
- Paprika
- Black Pepper
See recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities.
Recipe walkthrough: Instructions
This is an overview of the recipe steps. For more detailed instructions visit the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Step 1: Add the pork roast (with the skin layer) to a large 10 Quart Pot, with onions and neck bones. Cover with water about 1" above. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 hours. Use a ladle and skim the brown foam/scum that will rise to the top.
- Step 2: Remove the roast, neck bones and onions from the pot and remove the skin and fat from the roast. Discard the onions.
- Step 3: Add this skin and fat to a food processor and liquify.
- Step 4: Add the meat from the roast and neck bones to a food processor and chop, some finely, some in larger chunks.
- Step 5: Add the liquified fat and the meat back to the pot with the remaining water. Add all the remaining ingredients (except the vinegar and green onions). Simmer again, covered, for another 1 hour.
- Step 6: Add the vinegar and green onions and simmer for a further 10 minutes. Use a ladle and skim some of the grease that forms on top.
- Step 7: Take wet parchment paper and line a loaf pan with it. Ladle the pork mixture into the loaf pan.
- Step 8: Chill in the refrigerator overnight.
Hint: Scrape off the fat that will form on the top of the loaf. It won't matter too much as when you serve it that layer will be on the bottom of the loaf, but it still presents better like that.
Recipe variations and substitute ideas
Following is a list of variations and alternate ideas for substitutes that you could play with in this recipe:
- Gelatin - if your roast doesn't have the fat/skin layer then you could use a few envelopes or teaspoons of gelatin instead.
- Vegetables - you could add more vegetables instead of just onion.
- Livers - a lot of hog head recipes include adding chicken liver or pork liver.
- Pig's Head - if you want to go the traditional route, you could ask your butcher and he'll prepare you the head as needed. Just use this in place of the roast and the neck bones.
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Necessary gear: equipment
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This recipe makes a lot of hogs head cheese and therefore you'll need a large pot and many loaf pans.
I used a large 10 Quart stock pot as well as a food processor. You're going to need about 5 loaf pans.
Check the recipe card below, I have more info about this.
More southern snack recipes I think you'll love
How to store hog head cheese
I like to wrap the entire loaf in wax paper, much like wrapping a present. Then again with plastic wrap. It'll need to be stored in the refrigerator, and you can keep it for 4-5 days like this.
It will freeze well too. Store in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.
Mel's kitchen notes
Use a small spoon or fork and keep raising the meat while it's cooling so that it doesn't all fall to the bottom of the pan and be uneven in the hog head cheese.
Frequently asked questions: FAQs
The roast actually has it's own jelly, the fat and skin layer. This works perfectly as the jelly that will hold it all together.
This is a mock recipe, so no. It is traditionally made with one though.
The Creole Seasoning usually has a high salt content and so additional salt is not needed.
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Mock Hog Head Cheese: All the Flavor, None of the Fuss (Easy Pork Terrine!)
Video
Equipment
- 5 Loaf Pan
Ingredients
- 8 Pound Pork Picnic Roast
- 2 Pounds Pork Neck Bones
- 3 Each Yellow Onions peeled and cut in half
- 8 Tablespoons Creole Seasoning
- 3 Tablespoons Cayenne Pepper
- 3 Tablespoons Paprika
- 2 Tablespoons Hot Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Dried Parsley
- 1 Tablespoon Black Pepper
- 2 Ounces Browning Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
- 2 Cups Green Onions chopped
Instructions
- Add the pork roast, neck bones and yellow onions to a large stock pot (10 quart or bigger) and cover with water by 1".8 Pound Pork Picnic Roast, 2 Pounds Pork Neck Bones, 3 Each Yellow Onions
- Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and cover. Simmer for 2 hours. Use a ladle to scoop any brown scum that may form at the top during the beginning.
- Remove the onions and discard. Remove the neck bones and remove the meat carefully, discard the bones and add the meat back to the stock pot. Take the pork roast and remove the fat and skin. Add this fat and skin to a food processor and liquify. Add this back to the stock pot.
- Take the pork roast meat and cut into chunks, add to the food processor and chop, some fine, some not so fine (different batches).
- Add this meat back to the stock pot.
- Add the seasonings, stir well and cover again. Simmer for one more hour.8 Tablespoons Creole Seasoning, 3 Tablespoons Cayenne Pepper, 3 Tablespoons Paprika, 2 Tablespoons Hot Sauce, 2 Tablespoons Dried Parsley, 1 Tablespoon Black Pepper, 2 Ounces Browning Sauce
- Add the red wine vinegar and green onions and cook another 10 minutes.2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar, 2 Cups Green Onions
- Turn off the heat and skim any excess grease from the top of the pot.
- Take 5 each 9x5" Loaf Pans, lined with parchment paper (it's easier to do this with wet parchment.
- Ladle the mixture into the loaf pans and allow to cool. Take a fork or spoon and every now and then lift the meat from sinking to the bottom of the pan.
- Once cooled, cover and place in the refrigerator over night.
- Once the hog head cheese has set, turn out upside down onto a plate for serving, with crackers.
Notes
Nutrition
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