Roasted Pig''s Head

Ingredients

1 half pig head (mine was small, as in, not quite half a head, a bigger would be needed for a couple of people).
2 onions (sliced).
5 cloves of garlic (sliced).
1 pack of smoked lardons.
Glug of cider vinegar.
Glass of white wine.
1.5L of good stock (may need more, depends on size of pigs head)
Sprinkle of sugar (it’s a good measurement, I know.)
2 leeks (chopped).
2 potatoes (thinly sliced or mandolin’d).
Knob of butter.
Salt / pepper.
Rosemary & thyme sprigs (couple will do).

Method

Preheat your oven device to 180c. Slice your onions and garlic and chuck in your baking tray, on a hob on the top. Slosh in some olive oil and your lardons and cook until soft. Don’t brown them though.
Now place your piggy friend on top of the bed you’ve made him. (Percy, the mrs called him). Season him and pour in your cider vinegar and wine. Leave your wine out the fridge a bit, when it’s fridge cold it takes longer to bring up to temp. Same with your stock too, then pour this in as well. Season and add your sugar and herbs. You should not cover the entire head with liquid, but ½ to 2/3 up the head.
Pop it in the oven for 2hrs. If you have quite a big head (or the pig does, my head is massive, the pig’s wasn’t) cover the ears in foil as you don’t want these to burn. Mine had no ears, so I didn’t.
After 2 hours in, add the leeks and potatoes, the butter and then top up with some more stock to keep the liquid levels enough to cook the potatoes. You don’t need to cover them, but enough to allow them to cook. If you have foiled your ears, take the foil off at this point to allow them to crisp up.
This should be in about another 30minutes and then you are ready to serve.
Hearty meal there for you with some tasty crackling and juicy meat!
Inspiration for this was from Fergus Henderson’s recipe, which can be found here: russelleverett.blogspot.com/2010/01/pot-roast-half-pigs-head.html
In this blog, I didn’t have to shave my pig, it was already cleaned and ready. Be wary, you may have to!

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