Brawn

Brawn is a cold meat terrine, usually made by simmering a pig’s head until the meat comes away from the bones. The chopped meat is set in its own gelatine-rich cooking liquid, often with seasoning, herbs and vinegar.

Serve it cold, sliced, with crusty bread, butter and pickles or mustard. A sharp chutney or a few pickled onions cut through its rich, savoury flavour.

Simmer the head gently rather than boiling it hard, until the meat slips easily from the bones; this can take several hours. Pick out every bone, chop the meat, then pack it into a mould and pour over enough strained cooking liquid to cover before chilling until firm.

Keep brawn covered in the fridge and use it within a few days of making or opening it. If you have made a large batch, freeze it in portions; thaw it in the fridge and eat it promptly.

Yes. Wrap it tightly or pack it into an airtight container, then freeze in portions; the jelly may become a little watery after thawing. Defrost it in the fridge rather than at room temperature.

They are essentially names for the same kind of set meat terrine: cooked meat, traditionally from a pig’s head, held together with gelatine-rich stock. ‘Head cheese’ is common in some English-speaking regions, while ‘brawn’ is the usual British term.

Yes, brawn is cooked before it is set, so you eat it cold without reheating. Keep it chilled, and discard it if it has been left out for a long time or smells or looks spoiled.

A 100 g serving contains 12 g of protein. It is a savoury meat terrine, so a smaller slice alongside bread and pickles may be enough for a snack.