Crispy Pig’s Head with Mustard & Vinegar Butter Sauce

Name: Crispy Pig’s Head with Mustard & Vinegar Butter Sauce
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 270 min
Total time: 285 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 1 whole Pig’s head; 2 tbsp Fennel seeds; 2 tbsp Coriander seeds; 3-4 tbsp Coarse sea salt; Black pepper; 1-2 tbsp Neutral oil; 500 ml Chicken stock; 400 ml Chicken stock; 2 tbsp Dijon mustard; 1 tbsp Wholegrain mustard; 2-3 tbsp White wine vinegar; 60 g Unsalted butter; 1 handful Flat-leaf parsley; 1 handful Chives; 1 handful Tarragon; Black pepper; Salt

This recipe is inspired by one of the best meals I have ever eaten, at Camille in London. Pig’s head is one of those ingredients people often overlook or feel slightly squeamish about, but honestly, I think they are missing out. Some of the meat around the head and cheeks is arguably the BEST part of the pig - incredibly rich, tender and full of flavour. And I actually really love the principle behind cooking it too. If we are going to eat animals, I think using these less obvious cuts just makes sense. It means less waste, it is better from a sustainability point of view and, importantly, it is good for your butcher too. Ask them for a pig’s head and you will probably make their day. And then there is the theatre of it. There is something slightly ridiculous about carrying an entire crispy pig’s head to the table, which is obviously exactly why I love it. The important thing here is the contrast. We want the meat underneath incredibly soft and juicy, but the skin on top so crisp you can practically hear it crack when you cut through. Getting that skin right takes a little patience. We are deboning the head first, seasoning it heavily with fennel, coriander and salt, then leaving it uncovered in the fridge overnight to dry out. The next day it gets a long, gentle cook over chicken stock to keep the meat underneath soft before being completely cooled and then absolutely BLASTED with heat at the end.

Prep

15m

Cook

4h 30m

Total

4h 45m

Crispy Pig’s Head with Mustard & Vinegar Butter Sauce

This recipe is inspired by one of the best meals I have ever eaten, at Camille in London. Pig’s head is one of those ingredients people often overlook or feel slightly squeamish about, but honestly, I think they are missing out. Some of the meat around the head and cheeks is arguably the BEST part of the pig - incredibly rich, tender and full of flavour. And I actually really love the principle behind cooking it too. If we are going to eat animals, I think using these less obvious cuts just makes sense. It means less waste, it is better from a sustainability point of view and, importantly, it is good for your butcher too. Ask them for a pig’s head and you will probably make their day. And then there is the theatre of it. There is something slightly ridiculous about carrying an entire crispy pig’s head to the table, which is obviously exactly why I love it. The important thing here is the contrast. We want the meat underneath incredibly soft and juicy, but the skin on top so crisp you can practically hear it crack when you cut through. Getting that skin right takes a little patience. We are deboning the head first, seasoning it heavily with fennel, coriander and salt, then leaving it uncovered in the fridge overnight to dry out. The next day it gets a long, gentle cook over chicken stock to keep the meat underneath soft before being completely cooled and then absolutely BLASTED with heat at the end.

Prep

15m

Cook

4h 30m

Total

4h 45m

Ingredients

Method

Turn cooking mode on

Step 1

Debone the pig’s head using a very sharp boning knife. Slowly work around the skull, separating the meat and skin from the bone rather than hacking through it. Follow the natural shape of the head and keep as much of the skin and meat intact as possible for roasting later. Take your time with this, it's a long process if you've never done it before!

For

For the pig’s head

whole

Pig’s head, cleaned

tbsp

Fennel seeds