Braised Pork Cheeks Recipe

Braised Pork Cheeks Recipe

• 3 Iberico Pork Cheeks
• Kosher salt and ground pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp All Purpose Flour
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 3 Small Carrots
• 1 Medium Spanish Onion
• 2 Small Stalks of Celery
• 4 Large Cloves of Garlic
• 1 tbsp Light Brown Sugar
• 1 Cinnamon Stick
• 5 Black Peppercorns
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 2 tbsp Tomato Paste
• 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
• 2 cups beef stock
• Pinch of Sea Salt

1. Preheat your oven to 300F
2. Clean and pat dry your pork cheeks trimming them if need be. Season each cheek generously with salt and pepper, then dip to coat in flour. Heat a wide-bottom pan and add olive oil. Panfry the cheeks until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove the cheeks from the pan and set them aside.
3. In the same pan, add in your roughly chopped vegetables: carrots, onion, celery, and garlic. Cook them until they have achieved a dark coloring.
4. Add herbs, spices, and tomato paste. Stir everything to combine and cook for a few more moments.
5. Return the pork cheeks to the pan and pour in the balsamic, beef stock, and salt. Bring to a boil and allow to continue cooking while you make a cartouche to top your pan.
6. Remove your pan from the burner top with your parchment and place the entire pan into your ready oven.
7. Gently cook for 2 hours and up to three until the pork cheeks are tender and succulent.
8. To finish: we recommend straining the vegetables and reserving the liquids. Cook them briefly on the stovetop until thickened to create a delightful demi-glace to drizzle over your cheeks. Serve with mashed potatoes, wilted greens, or a combination.