Sherry Braised Pork Cheeks Recipes

SHERRY BRAISED PORK CHEEKS WITH ROASTED GARLIC MASHED POTATOES

Steps:

• In a large casserole dish, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil until it starts to smoke.
• Roll the pork cheeks in the flour and shake the excess flour off. Fry the cheeks in small batches, until golden brown. It takes about 3 minutes on each side. Drain the pork cheeks on kitchen paper and set aside.
• In the same casserole dish, add an extra tablespoon of olive oil if needed and fry on a medium heat the chopped onions, carrots, celery and bay leaf. Make sure you scrape the bottom of the pan to pull off the caramelisation made when frying the cheeks and fry the chopped vegetables until the mix develops a light golden brown colour. About 8 minutes.
• Return the pork cheeks to the casserole dish, add the sprigs of thyme, season the cheeks with salt and pepper.Pour in the sherry and cook on a high heat for 2 minutes until the sherry has reduced slightly. Pour in the beef stock, bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 3 hours.
• Meanwhile, for the mashed potatoes, put the potatoes in a pan of salted water, bring to the boil, then simmer for 15 minutes, or until tender.
• For the roasted garlic, place the garlic cloves on a baking tray with a small drizzle of olive oil and bake in a pre-heated oven at 190˚C/375˚F/Gas Mark 5 for 15 minutes or until soft. Allow the garlic cloves to cool down. Use the tip of your finger to press the garlic flesh out of its skin, finely chop all the flesh until you have a smooth purée.
• Drain and return the potatoes to the pan over the heat to remove any excess moisture. Mash well, add the butter, olive oil and the chopped roasted garlic and beat to a smooth purée. Season with salt and pepper.
• For the crispy shallots, dip the shallot rings in the milk and roll in the flour until well coated. Heat the oil in a medium size frying pan and fry the shallot rings until golden brown on both sides. About 3 minutes.
• To serve, put a spoonful of the mash potato in a serving bowl, place the pig cheeks on top and spoon over the sauce. Sprinkle with some fried shallot rings.

CIDER-BRAISED PORK CHEEKS

Steps:

• Season both sides of pork cheeks with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with flour and press it into the meat to coat thoroughly.
• Heat clarified butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Sear meat on both sides until richly browned, adjusting heat lower if necessary. When cheeks are browned, reduce heat to medium. Transfer cheeks to a plate to rest.
• Remove all but 2 tablespoons fat from the skillet. Add onions, carrots, and celery to skillet. Cook and stir until softened and sweet, seasoning with a pinch of salt. Add vinegar and stir to deglaze the pan. Pour in the cider and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer. Add sage and rosemary. Reduce heat to low and transfer cheeks back to pan. Cover. Cook until fork tender but not falling apart, 2 to 3 hours depending on the size of the pork cheeks. Transfer to a plate.
• Bring liquid to a boil over high heat, skimming off fat as it rises to the surface. Reduce volume of liquid by about 60 to 70%. Sauce will start to thicken up. Taste for salt and season as needed. Transfer cheeks back to liquid. Continue to cook over medium-low heat until cheeks are heated through and tender and sauce is thick enough to coat cheeks.