Braised Pork Cheek with Jowl Bacon
User Reviews
5.0
9 reviews
Excellent
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
4 hrs
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Total Time
4 hrs 15 mins
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Servings
4 people
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Calories
972 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
American
Braised Pork Cheek with Jowl Bacon
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Once you solve the conundrum of finding pork cheeks, everything else is pretty easy. If you despair and can't find them locally, you can use beef cheeks. I cooked my cheeks sous vide. Tough cuts melt in your mouth, given enough time. And few cuts are tougher than a hog's cheek muscles. Can you braise this traditionally? Yes, but you risk the cheeks falling apart. The legumes should be easy to get in spring, except maybe the chickpeas. Look in a Latin market, or just skip them.
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Ingredients
CHEEK:
- 4 pork cheeks, or 1 1/2 pounds beef cheek, cut into portions
- salt
- 1/4 cup lard
- 4-6 fresh sage leaves
- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
SAFFRON SAUCE
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons minced shallot
- 2 tablespoons white wine or champagne
- salt
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon saffron, crumbled
PEAS AND JOWL
- 2 teaspoons lard
- 1/4 pound guanciale, cut into batons
- 1 cup shelled peas
- 1 cup shelled fava beans
- 1 cup shelled fresh green chickpeas
- Onion flowers, pea or vetch tips, fennel fronds for garnish
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Instructions
- Salt the cheeks and put them into a vacuum seal bag with the lard and sage. Seal and cook sous vide at 180 degrees for 8-10 hours. If you don't have a sous vide machine, nestle the cheeks in a heavy lidded pot with the lard, sage and enough chicken stock to cover. Put in the oven at 200 degrees and cook until tender, about 6-8 hours.
- While the cheeks are cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add plenty of salt; it should taste like the sea. Boil the peas, favas and chickpeas for 90 seconds. Remove them and shock in a bowl filled with ice water. Once they are cool, set them aside in a bowl.
- Add the 2 teaspoons of lard to a small pan and fry the guanciale until crispy over medium to medium-low heat. Set aside and reserve the fat.
- When the cheeks are ready, make the saffron sauce. Sweat the shallots in the butter over medium heat until they are translucent. Do not let them brown. Add the white wine and boil this until the wine has almost all evaporated. Add the cream and saffron and stir well. Bring to the steaming point, but do not simmer. Add salt to taste. Let this cook for 10 minutes or so, then strain it through a fine-mesh strainer. Return to the heat just to keep warm.
- To finish, toss the peas, favas and chickpeas with the reserved fat from the guanciale, plus a little of the braising liquid from the cheeks. Paint the cheeks with the sherry vinegar.
- Plate by pouring a little sauce in each plate, Top with some of the pea mixture. Lay the cheek on one side of the plate, one or more crispy pieces of guanciale on the other. Garnish with the onion flowers, fennel frond and pea or vetch tip.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
972kcal
(49%)
Carbohydrates
16g
(5%)
Protein
63g
(126%)
Fat
72g
(111%)
Saturated Fat
34g
(170%)
Cholesterol
307mg
(102%)
Sodium
590mg
(25%)
Potassium
1185mg
(34%)
Fiber
4g
(16%)
Sugar
3g
(6%)
Vitamin A
1323IU
(26%)
Vitamin C
17mg
(19%)
Calcium
86mg
(9%)
Iron
5mg
(28%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 972 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 972kcal | 49% |
| Carbohydrates | 16g | 5% |
| Protein | 63g | 126% |
| Fat | 72g | 111% |
| Saturated Fat | 34g | 170% |
| Cholesterol | 307mg | 102% |
| Sodium | 590mg | 25% |
| Potassium | 1185mg | 25% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 1323IU | 26% |
| Vitamin C | 17mg | 19% |
| Calcium | 86mg | 9% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5.0
9 reviews
Excellent
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