tasty pigface
I used to rent a house in the middle of a farm. I arranged with the landlord that me & my brood would help him look after some pigs in exchange for half of one of them. It was an ok arrangement though he bought more pigs than he'd originally said. He bought the pigs, food and bedding and we fed them and kept their house relatively clean. He'd muck out with his tractor occasionally.

Although I tried to prevent it, my kids got to know the cute little piggies. They really are intelligent animals and very friendly too. They were going to get named whether I liked it or not and we compromised on calling them ham, bacon, sausage and porky or something like that.

When they were eventually slaughtered and butchered, the landlord asked me if I wanted the head. Of course I said yes - I don't like the idea of wasting life and I think it's right to eat everything you can from an animal if you're going to kill it.

I warned my daughter to stay out of the kitchen while I was bringing it in and putting it in the oven. So of course she marched straight in, took one look at the head and wailed that she recognised which one it was. It took her months to be able to bring herself to eat any of the tasty pork.

Pigs head is utterly delicious. I just roasted it in the oven, having removed the eyes, brain etc. The meat is really succulent. Indeed pig-cheek is a delicacy in many countries for bloody good reason. It's the colour of lamb and very rich.

Mind you, as far as I can tell, pigs trotters have absolutely nothing to recommend them. I can get them for free and I've tried a few different recipes. They were almost nice when I stewed them for hours and then roasted them. But not really. Just skin and gristle with a tiny bit of meat in the middle.
(teasus likes tea, Tue 29 May 2012, 15:20, 4 replies)

With you on the pig's trotters.
Bought some once to try them, boiled the fuckers for three solid hours and (on retrieving them from the boiling beige scum and shuddering at their rubbery paleness) fried them until they were crispy, but no amount of processing could disguise the fact that they were completely devoid of food.
( .Yeti. El amor en los tiempos del cólera, Tue 29 May 2012, 16:06, closed)

They're quite good in filling out stews
such as daubes or brunswick stew. Not to eat, but to add flavour/thickness.
(The Empress it seems you CAN polish a turd!, Tue 29 May 2012, 16:09, closed)

^^^ This
There's a butcher in my town that sells them at the hot pie counter every morning, they put the trotters in the oven that they use to cook the sausage rolls, pies, chickens etc. Remarkably cheap but I've not had enough courage to buy one yet (they're under £1). You can't polish a turd after all.
( SauronWibble I'll hold it, you lick it..., Tue 29 May 2012, 17:10, closed)

Souse
Many years ago I wander into the kitchen one afternoon to see a pig's head staring at me from the kitchen table. My mother was attempting to relive her rural childhood by making souse (aka brawn) at home. Once only as it was too much work. Because I am trying to keep my arteries open I don't eat souse any more. I still like it, even after seeing what utterly raw souse looks like.
(uncle_bud is not the jelly roll king., Tue 29 May 2012, 21:41, closed)