Recipe courtesy of Vida Cantina
Pig Head Platter
- Level: Advanced
- Yield: 2 to 4 servings
- Total: 2 days 9 hr 20 min (includes brining time)
- Active: 1 hr
Ingredients
Brine:
3 cups salt
3 cups sugar
6 chiles de arbol
5 cloves garlic
3 bay leaves
2 guajillo chiles
1 bunch cilantro
1 pig head
Confit:
2 cups white wine
10 quarts lard
Roast:
2 cups Salsa Verde, recipe follows
Serving suggestions: tortillas, salsas, cilantro, limes, onions and sea salt
Salsa Verde:
10 pounds tomatillos, grilled
12 large cloves garlic
12 serrano chiles, grilled
6 poblano peppers, roasted and peeled
4 onions, chopped
3 bunches cilantro, chopped
Salt and pepper
Directions
- For the brine: Combine the salt, sugar, chiles de arbol, garlic, bay leaves, guajillo chiles, cilantro and 10 quarts water in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil and cook until the sugar and salt dissolve. Pour the brine into a 16-quart container and let cool in the refrigerator. Submerge the pig head in the brine and refrigerate for 2 days.
- For the confit: Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. In a bowl, mix the white wine with 2 cups water. Remove the pig head from the brine and rinse with the wine mixture. Place the head in a large pan and cover it with the lard. Cover the pan and cook for 8 hours.
- To roast: Increase the oven temperature to 500 degrees F. Very carefully, pull the pig head out of the confit and place in a pan. Cover the head with the Salsa Verde and roast until the skin starts to blister, 20 minutes.
- To serve: Transfer the roasted pig head to a wooden board and serve with tortillas, salsas, cilantro, limes, onions and sea salt.
Salsa Verde:
- Place the tomatillos, garlic, serrano chiles, poblano peppers, onions and cilantro in a blender and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.