Jellied Pork Stock made from a Kilkenny Pig

Two organic pigs' heads and several feet (crubeens or trotters) landed up on the kitchen table. Great food for recessionary times. The heads from these Kilkenny reared, saddle back pigs were split, one half was placed in the pot to make a parsley and lemon brawn, seasoned with nutmeg. There was enough meat to fill a large loaf tin and it will take a few days to eat it all. So, the remainder of the heads were frozen until required.

Organically reared Kilkenny Crubeens

If you are a bit squeamish about eating crubeens, you can still use them - do not let them go to waste. Use them to make a wonderful jellied stock. Boil them up, simmer for 2-3 hours with an onion, some root vegetables and whatever herbs and spices are available and suitable for flavouring stock.

Slices of Jellied Pork Stock ready for use

Once the meat begins to leave the bones, strain and reduce the stock to the required consistency (it will probably cool to a jelly without even reducing it). Any the liquid left over from the brawn, can be added to the liquid stock.

Pig's Crubeen Jellied Stock

Pour into a mould and cool. The jellied stock is ready for use. It can be sliced and frozen for later use or else use immediately for soups, stews and pies or for more adventurous recipes. At least you now know what is in your stock, unlike the stock made from a shop-bought stock cube. Stew a pork hock in this stock for extra rich flavour.

There would be no free range, happy organic pigs, if we did not eat them. These pigs were killed so that we can eat them, we should respect this and make use of every part of that pig and avoid waste. Eat less meat and better quality meat and your diet will be healthier. 

Email: kilkennyseakale@gmail.com

Pig's Head Brawn, with Lemon & Parsley

A beautiful large organic pig's head from Bennettsbridge, landed up on my kitchen table. This was a particularly meaty one and deserved special attention.

Recipe for Brawn: Place the half the pig's head in a large pan, along with some root vegetables, herbs and in this case some dry roasted spices. Cover with water and simmer slowly for about three hours.

Once cooked, the meat should be beginning to fall off the bone, discard the vegetables and herbs and remove the head from the stock. 

Boil the stock until it has reduced down, after adding juice of one lemon and a desert spoon of white wine vinegar. Add fresh parsley stalks and remove after ten minutes, for added flavour.

Pick the meat off the head, including the tongue and ear (if you wish). Discard the surplus fat and bone.

Place the diced meat in a bowl and season well, with teaspoon salt, desertspoon of ground black pepper, about a third of a nutmeg, grated and a teaspoon of allspice. Added the grated rind of one lemon and several spoonfuls of chopped, fresh parsley. 

Prepare a dish or a mould by greasing it with butter and placing a slice of lemon and a little parsley on the bottom.

Mix the meat, herbs and spices well. Then gently place in mould, and pour on your simmering stock, which should have reduced enough, so that it just fills your mould with the meat in it.

One it has cooled down, place in fridge for several hours until set. To remove from mould, place it briefly in hot water for a few seconds and then run a sharp knife around the edge, place a plate on top of mould and invert and tap gently until the jellied brawn drops out.

Slice and eat cold, with some homemade chutney or pickle. If your friends are squimish, tell them that it is a pork terrine and they will love it. If we eat meat, we should respect the animal that we are eating and not waste good meat, we should always endevour to make use of the entire animal. This is a pleasure and not an ordeal.

Email: kilkennyseakale@gmail.com