Homemade Sausage Making

I'll be simmering a hogs head for some Head Cheese meat. I've done this in the past and I believe just the head alone doesn't provide enough gelatin for the stuffed finish product.

I'd like to inquire as to what provides the greatest amount of gelatin from simmering.
Trotters
Skin
Fresh Hocks

I use all of the above. I run the cooked skin through my silent cutter after its cooked. I buy whole feet on hocks so I use everything.

Trotters and skin. You will have a a large amount of broth after cooking the meats. Reduce the broth by boiling it down, that way you will have a higher concentration of the gelatin. But to assure that you will have a very firm gelatin the finished product add some retail gelatin powder.

redzed, I do have some bloom gelatin. How much would you add to the broth?

To make sure that you have a good strong jelly use just a little less than prescribed. Test your broth by pouring a small amount into a small bowl and placing into the freezer for 10 minutes. That will give you a good idea as to the natural gel.

redzed, "To make sure that you have a good strong jelly use just a little less than prescribed." I'm not sure of your meaning here. The package I purchased just says Gelatin on the label. There are no instructions for its use. And the head cheese recipe doesn't call for the addition of gelatin. I just wanted to add a specific amount to the pot that I'll be simmer my hogs head and hocks in to insure that I have enough good strong jelly to use in the final casing process of the meat. So I'm trying to determine what the specific added amount is. Are we talking a couple of tablespoons or say 1/4 cup? Thus I'm throwing this question out to those who make head cheese and incorporate the use of gelatin in their process.

Sorry I can't help you then. I use the basic Knox brand and the instructions are on the package.

Its going to depend on how firm you want it, in other words its up to the sausage maker. A starting point is below


Firmness Variability

The firmness of the mold varies on the ratio of water to gelatin and temperature:

Use 1 envelope (1 tablespoon or 1/4 ounce) unflavored gelatin to 2 cups of water for standard firmness. Decrease or increase water or other liquid for your particular needs.

https://www.thespruceeats.com/gelatin-c ... ts-1809265

Bob, thanks, that helps .