Stuffed Boar's Head

Stuffed Boar's Head - only the best for visiting dignitaries.

• Appeared In: 1.35 - My Fair Lilith
• In the days of yore, the very idea of throwing any part of an animal away was practically unheard of. Thus, stuffed boar heads were quite common at royal feasts.

Recipe

This recipe was found by Bryn. The preparation instructions (found here) have been condensed somewhat so as to be easier to follow.

Ingredients

• 1 pig’s head (skin and meat)
• 1 beef tongue
• 2 apples
• 1 cup walnuts
• 1 cup almonds
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 tsp ea of ground ginger, clove, nutmeg, pepper, mace
• 1 pinch saffron
• 1/2 gallon mead/wine

• Brine:
  • 2 cups vinegar
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup salt
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 tsp mace, cloves, ginger

Preparation

• Step 1: Preparing
  • Thoroughly wash the pig's head with soap and water, removing all viscera on the interior part of the skull
  • Place the head in a large pot with the water and wine and boil for 1-2 hours. This will soften the meat to loosen it from the bone.
  • If your pot is not big enough, separate the facial skin using a knife with a serrated edge. Note- Do not boil the skin.
  • Soak the skin in the brine for anywhere between 36 hours and 5 days. This will soften it so any bad edges from the butchering process can be sewn back together cleanly.
  • Once the meat on the head bones is thoroughly cooked, separate it and put it into a bowl.
  • At the same time, boil the beef tongue for 2 hours. When ready, peel the outer skin off and remove any ligaments still connected to the tongue.
  • Cut the tongue meat up into cubes (about the size of a woman's pinky tip) and place it into the same bowl as the pork meat.
  • Cut your fruit into small pieces (I recommend cutting them all the same size as your beef tongue so that everything cooks at roughly the same time) and combine with nuts, raisins, and spices in a separate bowl.

• Step 2: Cooking
  • To actually cook the pig's head, either a large cookie sheet or rounded baking dish can be used. Bear in mind that what you'll be cooking the head on is what you'll be serving it on as well, as it's not something that can be easily transferred to another platter once cooked. Whatever vessel you use, line it with foil to prevent scorch marks.
  • Layer the meat with your fruit-and-nut mixture in a mound in the very center of your cooking/serving vessel. Once it has all been layered, carefully arrange the facial skin you cut off earlier around the stuffing, tucking the edges down and filling the lower jaw, eyes, and cheeks with stuffing so that it once again resembles a pig's head.
  • After the head is fully stuffed, cover the ears with foil to prevent burning and place a pear, apple, or other decently-sized fruit into the mouth so that the jaw holds its shape during the cooking process. The foil 'bandages' should be removed during the last 15-20 minutes of the cooking time.
  • Place in a 375 degree oven for 45 minutes or until the skin turns golden brown.

• Step 3: Display and Disclaimer
  • How you choose to present your pig is up to you. However, it is recommended that any garnishes used be similar to what has already been incorporated into the cooking (such as propping the ears open with walnuts and covering the eyes either with dried fruit or apples).
  • Preparing this meal is not for the faint of heart. It is a very labor-intensive process that requires a lot of time, trial, error, and general tinkering with the recipe until it's right.

Pictures

None yet!

Links

• Historic Recipe Redactions - Stuffed Boar’s Head
• The Old Foodie - Vintage Christmas Recipes