Dish of Pork Cheeks with Sauce
(click to enlarge)

Pork Cheeks, Wine Braise


England
Serves:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 2 main
**
4-1/2 hrs
Yes		 This delicious braise is a fairly recent recipe, as English chefs work to re-establish England's pre-Victorian reputation for good food and fine dining.




1-1/4
-------
5
3
8
5
-------
1-1/2
4
3
2
1
1/2
2
#
---
oz
oz
oz
cl
---
T


c
t
t
T
Pork Cheeks (1)  
-- Vegetables
Carrots
Celery
Onion
Garlic
------------
Flour
Thyme Sprig
Bay Leaf
Red Wine (2)
Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil

Traditionally, recipes of this sort would be left for hours in the ashes of the kitchen fire to cook slowly, but our kitchen stoves produce no ashes, so we use a slow cooker. A low oven could also be used.

PREP   -   (15 min)
  1. Leave PORK CHEEKS whole, or cut into 2 or more pieces as you prefer. I usually just cut off the thin side flap, which blends in with the sauce.
  2. Peel CARROTS and cut into 3/4 inch lengths. Cut CELERY into 1/2 inch lengths. Chop ONION coarse. Peel GARLIC and slice medium. Mix all
RUN   -   (4 hrs)
  1. In a skillet or sauté pan, heat Oil and fry Pork Cheeks. Tumble often until lightly browned, taking care the fond adhering to the pan is not burned. Remove, leaving oil, and set aside.
  2. Stir Vegetable mix into the pan and fry stirring until Onions are translucent, taking care the fond doesn't burn.
  3. Transfer Vegetable mix into a slow cooker set to "High". Embed the Pork Cheeks, Thyme and Bay Leaves in the vegetables
  4. Sprinkle the Flour (thickener), salt and pepper over the Cheeks.
  5. Pour Red Wine into the pan. Bring it to a boil and scrape up all the fond. Pour it over the contents of the Slow Cooker and let come up to a strong simmer on High for about 2 hours.
  6. Turn down to "Low" and let cook for another 1-1/2 hours or until the cheeks are fork tender. This stew should finish with a fairly loose sauce.
  7. Serve hot with Rice, Mashed Potatoes or bread to sop up the sauce.
NOTES:

  1. Pork Cheeks:

      This flavorful cut won't likely to be found in a chain supermarket, but is often available from the larger Asian markets here in Los Angeles, or from a specialty meat market. For details see our Pork Cheeks page.

  2. Red Wine:

      A Pinot Noir, Petite Sarah or similar will work fine.
  3. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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