Souse

Homemade souse is not for the eye, but the palate. It requires long cooking and handling. Here is a recipe handed down from the Patrick women.
There are variations to this recipe, but this is the simple one I remember and use.

Ingredients:
3 lbs pork neck bones
2 lbs pig ears
2 tablespoons dried sage
3 leaves fresh sage rough chopped
3 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Just cover the neck bones with water and boil until the meat falls off the bone. Let cool and de-bone. Save all the juice. Make sure you remove all the bone fragments, for health reasons. Chop pig ears into small cubes and add de-boned meat, ears and all the seasonings to remaining juice. Make sure you keep enough liquid in the pot so the meat won't stick. Bring to a boil and cook till the skin on the ears is tender. The gristle will not get tender. Pour into a bowl and refrigerate. Slice and serve with pepper sauce, mustard, or suit your taste.
If you want a bologna-like product, cool and grind in a blender and poor and let set in the refrigerator.