Recipe Manuscript

Hog’S Head Gelee

Name: Hog’S Head Gelee
Prep time: PTPT1H
Cook time: PTPT5H
Yield: 10
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 pig’s head (2.5-3 kg); 2 pig’s trotters (700 g each); Water, to cover (3-4 liters); 4 garlic cloves, finely mashed; 2 teaspoons salt (to taste); 1 teaspoon black pepper; 2-3 tablespoons white wine vinegar; Optional: substitute pork shoulder for pig’s head if necessary; substitute pork skin/cuts for trotters

"Hog’S Head Gelee"

1917

From the treasured pages of Megale amerikanike mageirike dia mageirous kai oikogeneias

Written by Michael Gkines

Early Modern Kitchen (1900 - 1930)American European Intermediate Dinner Lunch Other

Original Recipe • 1917

Original Manuscript(circa Early Modern Kitchen, 1900 - 1930)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

Hog’S Head Gelee

"Πάρε ἕνα κεφάλι χοιρινὸ καὶ τὰ ποδαράκια, καθάρισέ τα καλὰ καὶ βράσε τα πολὺ ἕως νὰ χωρίσουν τὰ κόκκαλα ἀπὸ τὸ κρέας, καὶ νὰ μείνη ὀλίγο ζουμί. Πάρε τὸν πατσᾶν , κόψε τον μικρὰ κομμάτια, πρόσθεσε τὸ ζουμί, τέσσαρες σκελίδες σκόρδο κοπανισμένο καλά, ἀλάτι, πιπέρι καὶ ὀλίγο ξύδι. Βάλε τα εἰς μίαν τενεκεδένια φόρμα τετράγωνη, βάλε τον εἰς τὴν παγωνιέρα νὰ κρυώση καὶ σερβίρισε."

English Translation

"Take a pig's head and the feet, clean them well and boil them thoroughly until the meat separates from the bones and only a little broth remains. Take the tripe, cut it into small pieces, add the broth, four cloves of garlic well crushed, salt, pepper, and a little vinegar. Put these into a square tin mold, place it in the icebox to chill, and serve."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written as a set of practical, step-by-step instructions, assuming the reader has basic kitchen skills and familiarity with offal and whole-animal cookery. Quantities are not always precise, relying on experience and taste. The original Greek includes period spellings and straightforward language—note 'πατσᾶν' means the soft parts taken from the cooked head and feet, close to 'patsas' or brawn in modern terms. This style resonates with early 20th-century cookbooks, which favored brevity and expected adaptability, reflecting both oral tradition and the scarcity of exact measurements in older recipes.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Megale amerikanike mageirike dia mageirous kai oikogeneias - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Megale amerikanike mageirike dia mageirous kai oikogeneias (1917)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Michael Gkines

Era

1917

Publisher

Ekdotika Katastemata

Background

A sumptuous journey through early 20th-century Greek-American kitchens, this cookbook offers practical and time-tested recipes for savory dishes and delightful sweets—each crafted to suit the American system, yet infused with Greek tradition. A perfect companion for both family cooks and aspiring chefs.

Kindly made available by

Internet Archive

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe appears in a 1917 Greek-language cookbook published in New York, written for Greek immigrants adapting to American ingredients and methods. It exemplifies the ingenuity of communities preserving traditional flavors while utilizing what's available. Hog’s head gelee, or head cheese, was a festive and thrifty dish across Europe, making use of every part of the animal at slaughter time, especially during winter months when such preserved jellies could be stored in a cold larder. The recipe reflects a culinary bridge between Old World practices and New World adaptation, illustrating how immigrant cooks kept ancestral foodways alive even as they navigated a new country and food system.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Originally, cooks used a large, heavy pot or cauldron for boiling the pig’s head and trotters over an open flame or wood stove. The meats would be removed and chopped with a hefty kitchen knife or cleaver. The mixture was set in simple rectangular tin molds or pans. Cooling would happen in a cold pantry or even outside in winter, as many homes lacked refrigeration. A modern kitchen would use a heavy stockpot, sharp knives, and a loaf tin or glass mold. Today, a refrigerator sets the gelee, but back then, a chilly cellar or icebox was essential.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

1 hr

Cook Time

5 hrs

Servings

We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!

Ingredients

1 pig’s head (5.5-6.5 lb)
2 pig’s trotters (1.5 lb each)
Water, to cover (3-4 quarts)
4 garlic cloves, finely mashed
2 teaspoons salt (to taste)
1 teaspoon black pepper
2-3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Optional: substitute pork shoulder for pig’s head if necessary; substitute pork skin/cuts for trotters

Instructions

Take one pig's head (about 5.5-6.5 lb) and two pig's trotters (about 1.5 lb each).
Clean them thoroughly, removing any hairs or impurities.
Place them in a large pot, cover with water (about 3-4 quarts), and simmer for several hours—approximately 4 to 5—until the meat easily separates from the bones and only a small amount of rich broth remains.
Remove the meats and allow to cool slightly.
Cut the meat, skin, and any edible parts into small pieces; discard bones and gristle.
Add the strained broth back in, along with 4 finely mashed garlic cloves, salt (2 teaspoons), black pepper (1 teaspoon), and a little vinegar (2-3 tablespoons, preferably white wine vinegar).
Mix thoroughly.
Transfer to a rectangular metal mold or loaf tin, and refrigerate (or chill in a cool environment) until completely set into a jelly.
Slice and serve cold.

Estimated Calories

350 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Preparing this dish takes some time because you need to clean and cut the meat before cooking. Most of the time is spent simmering the pig's head and trotters to create a rich broth and tender meat. Once set, you can slice and serve it cold. One serving has about 350 calories, and you get about 10 servings from this recipe.

As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.

We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.