I've developed a minor obsession for pigs' cheeks ever since trying them for the first time at the brilliant Ginger Pig gastro pub. A minor obsession that has turned somewhat extreme upon finding out you can get a nice bag of these for around £1.20, serving two people handsomely. Cooked slowly, these plump little morsels reward you with a succulent, melt-in-the-mouth meal.
They are really gaining popularity, probably for the new wave of interest in "forgotten cuts" as well as the cost. I found these ones in my local Waitrose but I have been back twice since to find they have sold out, so grab them when you see them.
Keeping the cheeks king in this dish, they were simply served up with roast apple slices (slice an apple, brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and roast for 20 minutes), buttered mash and braised cabbage.
Serves 2
Ingredients
6 Pig Cheeks, trimmed of fat
1 small onion, finely sliced
1tbs olive oil
Knob of butter
400ml dry cider
3 Sage leaves
Seasoning
Preheat the oven to 160C.
Sautée the sliced small onion in olive oil and butter until softened. Add the pigs' cheeks and brown. Add the cider, season and bring to the boil.
Transfer into an ovenproof dish and place in the preheated oven for 70 minutes, turning and basting with the cider regularly. After 70 minutes add 3 sage leaves and return to the oven for a further 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven to rest for 10 minutes and serve with the reduced cider sauce.
Lovely looking plate of food Fran. I could eat that right now. Looks so wintery. I've never seen Pigs Cheeks in Waitrose - ever. Maybe I'm just not looking hard enough. Now I have to have them.
ReplyDeleteThanks Dan, it was @browners that pointed me in the direction of Waitrose meat counter for them - I'd never seen them in there either. Plus they sometimes have them "out back" so worth asking.
ReplyDeleteMy butcher wouldn't sell me any pig's cheeks. He said that they were worth more to him in sausages, which I suppose is fair enough, as his sausages are stupendously good.
ReplyDeletePure economics in testing times.
I think my waitrose is not as good as yours - never seen these there! Looks fantastic though - yum.
ReplyDeleteMmmm, I'd cook these tomorrow if only I could get cider in Italy! My kind of tasty starightforward full of flavour recipe, thank you!
ReplyDeleteI tried Pig Cheeks for first time just a couple of nights ago, at Bob Bob Ricard; they were fabulous.
ReplyDeleteThis looks tasty too!
Strange how these are suddenly popular, im sure a few years ago everyone would be saying yukkk.
ReplyDeleteRich - Ha! That is funny... I think we will see these cuts soar in price.
ReplyDeleteCara - The Brighton Waitrose is tiny and not the best stocked. I'd think if they sold them here they'd sell them everywhere...
Carmelita - thanks! I'm sure you could substitute the cider with a wine and stock liquid. Or all wine..
Kavey - They are and this is!
Luigi - I know - loving that people are more gung-ho with cuts... bring it on!
I really need to experiment more with the cheeks of swine. Oh the tender melty goodness. So rich! So satisfying! You have given me a kick up the backside to find me some cheeks. Just the ticket with this weather 'n all.
ReplyDeleteHi Helen. Thanks! I actually had a dream about cooking pig cheeks the other night. Can't get enough of them... would be great to see what you do with them what with your love of the swine!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE pork cooked in cider - marriage made in heaven in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteI have managed to buy them from my butcher, but you have to order them.
Your dish looks superb Fran.
Awesome stuff. Top class cheek cooking.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant recipe - I found pig cheeks on sale in Morrisons in Nottingham.
ReplyDeleteI made this for dinner today and it was lovely, really tasty.
ReplyDeletePork cheeks were from Morrisons and it cost us less than £2 for 6 of them.
We are definitely going to make this again!
Hey Anon - glad you liked it - cheap as chips eh!
ReplyDeleteFirst had pig's cheeks at Arbutus in Soho, they were fantastic. They came as a crip-edged loosely formed pattie; I'm guessing they slow-braised them, then pulled the meat, then reformed them. Anyone ever seen a recipe along these lines, can't find one anywhere? Ps, my local Morrisons stocks these!
ReplyDeleteJust made/ate this and am a bit too blissed-out to manage complicated praise. Superb.
ReplyDeleteJohn. No praise needed. Just the knowledge that you enjoyed them :)
ReplyDeleteI also struggled to find pig cheeks at first after eating them all over Spain whilst on my honeymoon and loved them. Couldn't find them anywhere even at my local market in warrington that has 7 or 8 good butchers , reason being that the butcher has to buy the whole head and in the UK we don't generally use the rest for brawn etc so waste of money for them. However I have found 2 saviours, the famous jimmys farm who have an online shop but if you call through to the main shop you can order them , £6.90 for a kilo which will do 3-4 meals, and they freeze . My god they are good , I've order about 5 batches already . I've tried the pig cheeks with caramelized leeks (type it into Google its from delicious magazine) and its amazing served with chips Luke they do in Spain . You can also order them from the great peter gotts farm sillfieldfarm.com , again you have to call to get them on your order . Whilst you there check out his wild boar sausage , truly amazing. I've started to do big orders online from farm shops rather than do weekly expensive shops and just freeze it all . If you go to sillfield farm you can get everything , chicken , sausage , beef , best Bacon ever , wild boar , the legendary stornway black pudding etc plus cheeks ...
ReplyDeleteSix years ago, I moved out of my home city, Brighton, to become a very small smallholder in Hurstpierpoint, (just 10 mins up the A23). I have a small herd of the rarest breed pigs, British Lops (as recently seen on TV - The Great British Food Revival). I use every little bit of my lovely pigs including the cheeks and they're delicious. My pigs are mostly kept for my own consumption, but as there has been alot of requests from friends to supply, i am hoping to increase the size of my herd. If there is enough interest, i will supply local British Lop direct on a low key/ when available basis. Let me know. Jo
ReplyDeleteThe Brighton Waitrse, though small, is the best place for pigs cheeks. You sometimes have to ask and if there is a 12 yr old behind the meat counter then you have no hope. but keep asking. We buy them there all the time.
ReplyDeleteWe have also in the past asked our butcher who, though he doesn't stock them, will order for you. They are so cheap but not as cheap as at Waitrose!
Fantastic, added some flour to the sauce! Just delicious! Will be having pig cheeks again, both this way abd will be playing around with recepies myself! Love the cider gravy though!
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