How to Prepare and Cook

Cleaning the head is the most important step. No matter how well a pig’s head is scalded and cleaned at the abattoir, there will be still be a few hairs, especially around the mouth, the chin and in the ears. The best way to remove them is by singeing or shaving, or a combination of the two. A propane torch is fairly standard kitchen equipment these days, but if you don’t have one in the kitchen you’ll probably have one in the garage. It’s the perfect tool for burning off any hair. Simply singe the hair with the torch and then rub it off with a towel (the only downside of this method is the unpleasant smell of burnt hair). You could also hold the head over a gas flame to singe any stray hairs. To shave a pig, a razor is the best tool—just use a disposable one, as it will be full of pork skin when you finish. No shaving cream is required. Less pleasant is cleaning the pig’s ears, but it must be done. Simply take a damp paper towel and wipe the ears out thoroughly.