Hog Jowl

 

It has been brought to my attention that the terms Hawg Jaw and Hog Jowl could in some circles be used interchangeably. Since the later is something good to eat in many southern circles, I have been considering changing my name to Hog Jowl Bill as this refers to good food whereas Hawg Jaw perhaps infers I have the Jaws of a Hawg. So just what is a Hog Jowl?

 

 

 

Hog Jowl

 

Simply defined, Hog Jowl is the smoked and cured cheeks of the hog often fried like bacon, and often used to replace the ham hock to flavor dishes like black eyed peas or various kind of beans. A meal of fried Hog Jowl with Collard Greens, and Hog Jowl flavored Black Eyed Peas is a good old Sunday meal in the South.

 

The Hog Jowl comes from that area referred to as the Hog’s Cheek. That seems to be in the same area as one might consider the Jaw?

 

 

This is a smoked and cured Hog Jowl sliced and ready to be fried up into a fine meal. Looks a lot like bacon doesn’t it?

 

Now here’s a meal fit for any Southern household. We have fried Hog Jowl, Navy beans flavored with Hog Jowl and fresh Hog Jowl Flavored Kentucky Wonder Green Beans. Wait, I believe that’s Hog Jowl flavored Collard Greens at the side. Now that looks mouth watering good.

 

 

.
My Mom used to use Smoked and Cured Hog Jowl to cook with a lot, but she made sure she had some form of Hog Jowl for us to eat on New Years Day as she believed eating it on that special day would bring good luck all year.

 

 

I guess Hog Jowl is simply speaking something good to eat that I really haven’t had in my diet since I left home so many years ago. Recently, when I read the menu for Lambert’s Cafe in Missouri, I noticed they had Deep Fried Hog Jowl as an entree. I wasn’t sure exactly what it was, but the item intrigued me enough to review Hog Jowl a little and I would again like to have a meal of fried Hog Jowl.

 

 

I guess I’ll have to wait until I get back over into Missoiri and try it at Lambert’s as I am sure Pam would never cook up anything called Hog Jowl no matter how good it is. I might get some to slip in our beans when she’s not looking.

 

 

Thanks for reading Hog Jowl,
Hog Jowl Bill wannabe