Counter 02 · Pork
Braised Pork Cheeks with Cherry Sauce
Pork cheeks slow-braised in red wine until spoon-tender, glazed with a tart cherry reduction and served with roasted cauliflower, broccoli and a beet puree.
- Prep
- 35 min
- Cook
- 3 hr
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Hard
Pork cheeks are small, cheap and packed with collagen, which melts into the sauce during a long braise and makes it naturally silky. They are a chef favorite that few home cooks try, but they are almost impossible to ruin once the lid is on. The cherries go in at the end, simmered with the strained braising liquid, so they stay plump and tart. Beet puree and simply roasted florets give color and a clean contrast. Braise a day ahead; cheeks only get better overnight.
Method
-
Heat the oven to 300 F. Season the cheeks with salt and brown them in the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, in batches, about 3 minutes per side. Set aside.
-
Lower the heat to medium, add the carrot and onion and cook 6 minutes until softened. Pour in the wine, scrape the pot and boil 5 minutes.
-
Return the cheeks, add the stock, bring to a simmer, cover, and braise in the oven 2 1/2 hours, until the cheeks yield to a spoon.
-
Lift out the cheeks and strain the liquid into a saucepan, pressing on the vegetables. Boil until reduced to about 1 cup, then add the cherries and balsamic and simmer 8 minutes until syrupy.
-
Toss the cauliflower and broccoli with a little oil and salt and roast at 425 F for 20 minutes, until browned at the edges.
-
Blend the beets with 2 tbsp of the reduced sauce and a pinch of salt until smooth.
-
Warm the cheeks in the cherry sauce for 5 minutes, then plate with a swipe of beet puree, the roasted florets and a generous spoon of cherries.
