whole hog head

Canugghead

got this hot off the oven at a Chinese bbq place for $4.99, pork cheeks with crunchy cracklings, heavens!

edit: 4.99 for the whole thing, not per pound.

bclarksicle

love it! Did you eat the eyeballs?

Canugghead

not really, we're stuffed on just one cheeky side.

lkapigian

One of my favorite cooks

Canugghead

just tried an eyeball, love the tender rubbery texture. the meat in the forehead is really good too.

lkapigian

Its all good, now Egg One!

Canugghead

but I can never get the crackling crispy like the bbq shop's ... will probably have to run around like a headless chicken to find a raw head and pay at least quadruple the $ or more 

Sammi

@Canugghead

Any after shots?  I'm not sure how I would attack that thing.

Canugghead

@Sammi  see 3rd photo above ... I first cut down the middle with the shear in the picture, then sliced into the cheek and pried the meat off without cutting the bones.  To get the eyeball I pried off the crackling and scooped it out with a teaspoon; same with the meat in the forehead.  The underside (inside) looks kind of messy and the teeth look gross!

Sammi

@Canugghead  Where do you find something like that? 

Right after I grow a backbone I'd like to give it a try. May need a coach though.

Canugghead

@Sammi - Got it at the bbq section of a Chinese supermarket that belongs to this successful chain now owns by Loblaws:

http://www.tnt-supermarket.com/en/index.php?

They are hard to come by, you have to be there at the right time, we were there around mid-afternoon when they brought out this freshly roasted hog for the dinner crowd.

Egghead_Daron

Here a couple from part way through one done on the Egg last Father's Day. It is some of the best pork I have ever eaten.

Little Steven

Canugghead said:

@Sammi - Got it at the bbq section of a Chinese supermarket that belongs to this successful chain now owns by Loblaws:

http://www.tnt-supermarket.com/en/index.php?

They are hard to come by, you have to be there at the right time, we were there around mid-afternoon when they brought out this freshly roasted hog for the dinner crowd.

What market Gary?

Canugghead

Little Steven said:

What market Gary?

Thornhill location of T&T supermarket, they have a location in Mississauga too:

http://www.tnt-supermarket.com/en/store_locator.php

You can get it at bbq section of any chinese supermarket and it's very much YMMV... I guess if you pay them a premium they'll hold one for you, otherwise it's luck of the draw, you get the idea!

caliking

WOW! $5 for the whole head?? That's an amazing deal.

The crispy crackling and the jowls and everything about sounds soooo good. I'm definitely drooling.

Is that the supermarket that sells tandoori chicken too? I think I saw them featured on a tv show or something.

Canugghead

Yup $5 for the whole head, why bother cooking even if I get an uncooked head free!

Don't think they sell tandoori chicken though, must be a different supermarket you saw.

This company was started in British Columbia by a Taiwanese business woman, later expanded to Alberta and Ontario.  Mainstream supermarket giant Loblaws bought them out five years ago:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/loblaw-buys-asian-grocery-chain/article4389458/

bweekes

Canugghead said:

but I can never get the crackling crispy like the bbq shop's ... will probably have to run around like a headless chicken to find a raw head and pay at least quadruple the $ or more 

@Canugghead - looks awesome. I've cooked quite a few whole hogs on my La Caja China, and you might want to try Chinese five spice on the skin along w/ salt. Also, if you take a skewer and poke holes all over the skin, that helps release the fat and crisp up the skin. 

Canugghead

@bweekes great looking whole pig you got there!  Where do you get the whole pig?

Thanks for the tips. At Niagara fest this August, there was a professional/celebrity chef who made pork belly with amazing crackling; he used a mixture of salt and baking soda to make it blistered and crunchy; I think he cranked up the temp near the end of the cook.  On my to try list: get a bag of cheap pork rind to practise!

bweekes

Canugghead said:

@bweekes great looking whole pig you got there!  Where do you get the whole pig?

Thanks for the tips. At Niagara fest this August, there was a professional/celebrity chef who made pork belly with amazing crackling; he used a mixture of salt and baking soda to make it blistered and crunchy; I think he cranked up the temp near the end of the cook.  On my to try list: get a bag of cheap pork rind to practise!

I get my whole hogs from your neck of the woods - Mike at Vincentina (off of Edilcan, east of Jane). He's got great product, especially pork. 

Canugghead

Thanks, looks like their porchetta is a must try!

bweekes

Canugghead said:

Thanks, looks like their porchetta is a must try!

You got it - and their hot saigon beef short ribs are awesome when done on the egg!

cook861

Hey thx for that info have to try that place next time in TO

bboulier

Looks great.  I suspect I might be able to find one around here.

bboulier

On an Egg, what temp would you cook this at and for how long?

lkapigian

bboulier said:

On an Egg, what temp would you cook this at and for how long?

Check some of my past posts , if interested I'll walk you through it

Canugghead

Just deconstructed it and there was yummy goodness in every nook, cranny and crevice!  Making soup with the bones.  Also took some souvenir shots for a future dentist in the family!

Canugghead

pigged up another one to pig out today!

bweekes

man - you're on a roll. 

CTSmoker

I checked out the website and wondered how these would be?

Braised Minced Pork Balls with Vegetables

caliking

Are you camping out by the BBQ section? I'm kinda jealous.

Canugghead

@bweekes yup rolling like one in the sty!

@CTSmoker recipe looks good, swmbo makes a similar fried meatball dish with minced shrimp + pork; you can also grill it like a burger!

@caliking this time it was just after 9 am when the place just opened, we were there to get ingredients for early Christmas dinner, lo and behold it was there staring at me, how could I resist. Like the first one, we'll finish eating the crackling, freeze leftover meat and make soup with the bones. First was Tom Yum soup, this one will be dal soup.