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headcheese

American  
[hed-cheez] / ˈhɛdˌtʃiz /

noun

  1. a seasoned loaf made of the head meat, sometimes including the tongue or brains, of a calf or pig and molded in the natural aspic of the head.


headcheese British  
/ ˈhɛdˌtʃiːz /

noun

  1. Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): brawn.  a seasoned jellied loaf made from the head and sometimes the feet of a pig or calf

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of headcheese

An Americanism dating back to 1835–45; head + cheese 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Rebecca Brooks, one of the employees, worked at Dickson’s Farmstand Meats in Chelsea Market and has visions of making whipped lardo, headcheese and scrapple.

From New York Times • Jan. 5, 2021

It’s a trinity of pork; a Vietnamese version of mortadella, a headcheese or terrine of pig ear and snout, and the third meat is usually a ham, loin or barbecue pork.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 3, 2020

Like nose meat, headcheese is traditionally a food for elders.

From Washington Times • Feb. 4, 2017

Which means lots of dishes with lots of flavors, from a banh mi salad with headcheese to a short-rib pot pie with lemongrass.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 3, 2015

When it was cool it would cut in slices, and that was headcheese.

From "Little House in the Big Woods" by Laura Ingalls Wilder