Potted Head

Ingredients

• a whole or half a head
• the foot
• two teaspoonfuls of salt
• one of freshly ground black pepper
• one of powdered allspice
• a saltspoonful of cayenne

Method

1. 1

   Remove the brains from the head, wash it thoroughly, and soak it in warm water for 1-2 hours.

2. 2

   Break up the head and foot, place in a pan with enough water to cover, bring to a boil, skim, then simmer covered for about 4 hours.

3. 3

   Remove the meat, cut into dice, and season.

4. 4

   Return to the pan, simmer uncovered for a few minutes, then pour into a wetted basin or mould and leave to set.

As published

This recipe was extracted from The "Queen" cookery books: Breakfast and Lunch Dishes (1904) by S. Beaty-Pownall, page 40. The excerpt below is the record exactly as published.

Potted Head. — A homely dish, somewhat similar to brawn, and very popular in Scotland, is made from an ox’s or sheep’s head. For this take a whole or half a head, according to size, removing the brains ; wash the head thoroughly and soak both it and the foot for an hour or two in warm water ; then break up both and lay them in a pan with just enough water to cover them well. Bring to the boil, skim well, then draw to the side and simmer steadily, closely covered, till the bones will slip from the flesh. This, for a moderate head, takes about four hours. Now lift the meat out, remove the bones, cut it into dice, seasoning it as you do so with the following mixture : Two teaspoonfuls of salt, one of freshly ground black pepper, one of powdered allspice, and, if liked, a saltspoonful of cayenne

Cook this with the app: pantry check, scaling, and the assistant.