The Vintage Canned Meat That Was A Southern Specialty In The 1950s

The Southern United States has its history with foods that people in other regions find to be an acquired taste. Some popular options, from chitlins to chicken gizzards, are often unique to the South, and pork brain is another of these gems. While their usage has become more and more limited amongst the younger generations, some still swear by canned pork brains as a delicacy they grew up with.

During the 1950s, after World War II, canned pork brains became a staple in American cuisine in more than just the South. There was a shortage of meat during the war, so people resorted to eating different parts of animals, like beef hearts, to fill the gaps in their cooking. Once meat rations eased in November of 1945, some returned to their choice cuts; others held onto the tradition of eating pork brain.

Although the texture has been described as similar to tofu, the taste of brains is considered savory and fatty. Calf brains are one of the more commonly used types of brains in modern cuisine, although given the potential concerns for developing Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease, people often lean toward pork over beef. Pair those pork brains with some well-seasoned scrambled eggs, and you've got yourself a Southern tradition that still manages to stand the test of time.

While brains are still used in many restaurants as a purée on dishes or as a dipping sauce, the canned pork variety popular in the South has become increasingly hard to find for a few reasons. One of the primary concerns is the sheer amount of cholesterol in a single serving. An egg has an average of 200 milligrams of cholesterol. Meanwhile, ⅔ cup — a single serving — of pork brains has 3,190 milligrams of cholesterol. That makes up more than 1,000% of the 300-milligram daily recommended values, so it's often left as a treat rather than the daily routine it used to be.

Even though Rose brand canned pork brains are often considered a Southern staple, there are now only about 10 retailers that sell them in the United States. They've been considered one of the more bizarre foods you can buy, but that's not to say they don't have a place in modern cuisine. Southern food is often rooted in the tradition of using as much of an animal as possible, and the brain is not excluded. While it may seem odd to people who haven't been exposed to it, to those who have eaten brains and scrambled eggs or fried brain sandwiches all their lives, it's a staple that more people should be open to trying.