Name: Cider-Braised Pork Cheeks recipe
Ingredients: 8 (4 ounce) pork cheeks;salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste;½ cup all-purpose flour for dredging, or as needed;2 tablespoons clarified butter;2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar;2 cups hard apple cider;2 cups homemade or low-sodium chicken broth;1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves;1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves;1 small yellow onion, diced;1 small carrot, diced;1 rib celery, diced

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Ingredients

8 (4 ounce) pork cheeks salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste ½ cup all-purpose flour for dredging, or as needed 2 tablespoons clarified butter 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 2 cups hard apple cider 2 cups homemade or low-sodium chicken broth 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves 1 small yellow onion, diced 1 small carrot, diced 1 rib celery, diced

Nutrition Info

1619 calories carbohydrate: 23.5 g cholesterol: 193.3 mg fat: 153.3 g fiber: 1.3 g protein: 19.7 g saturatedFat: 58 g servingSize: - sodium: 296.7 mg sugar: 9.8 g transFat: : - unsaturatedFat: : -

Directions

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.

Recipe Yield

4 servings

Recipe Note

You'll probably need to order pork cheeks from your butcher, but the resulting slow-cooked meaty goodness is so worth it. This is delicious served over buttery mashed potatoes with lots of the gravy.

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