Pork cheeks are a frequently overlooked cut of meat. Cheeks are a tough lean cut of meat, but when cooked slowly over a low heat, they transform into a tender, melt-in-your-mouth wonder. Definitely worth a try!

Servings: 4 main portions
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 3.5 hours

Ingredients:

• 4 large pork cheeks
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon of rabbit seasoning (Yes! You read this correctly**)
• 1 star anise
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 glass red wine
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 2 large carrots, diced
• some flour for dusting
• a few sprigs of fresh thyme

Method:

1. Take the pork cheeks out of the fridge for at least 30 minutes before you start cooking, to allow to come to room temperature. 
2. Preheat your oven to 160 degrees Celcius
3. Pat the pork cheeks dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper. 
4. Dust the pork lightly with plain flour all over.
5. Heat a large casserole dish with 1 tablespoon of olive oil over a high heat. Once hot, add the pork cheeks, butter and thyme. Sear while basting the meat for about 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown. Transfer the pork cheeks to a plate and set aside.
6. Add some more olive oil to the same casserole pot and add the onions. Cook for about 10 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, carrots and rabbit seasoning. Cook for a further five minutes.
7. Deglaze the pot with red wine and cook until the alcohol has evaporated. At this point, add the soy sauce, star anise and the tinned tomatoes. Add the pork cheeks to the casserole pot. One brought to a boil, cover with lid and remove from heat.
8. Transfer the dish to your preheated oven and cook for 3 hours at 160 degrees Celsius, basting the pork cheeks with the juices once every hour.
9. Remove from oven and serve the pork on a bed of mashed potatoes (Click here for a recipe of truffle infused mash that goes brilliantly with this dish! https://foodbyzac.com/2020/05/04/truffle-infused-mashed-potatoes/ )

Notes:

‘Braising’ is a cooking method that involves initially searing the meat briefly at a high temperature, and then allowing it to cook in liquid in a covered pot at a low temperature for a relatively long period of time. An oven safe casserole dish/dutch oven is therefore perfectly suited for this type of cooking method.

Deglazing the pan with wine dissolves those sticky brown bits stuck to the bottom of your casserole dish. This ensures all those brilliant flavours obtained while searing end up in your final dish (and makes washing up far easier!)

**Rabbit seasoning is a spice blend of spices available locally in Malta that complements the richness of the pork cheeks. If you cannot get rabbit seasoning in your country, feel free to make your own by using a 2:2:1 ratio of mixed spice, paprika and curry powder.

Basting the meat halfway through cooking ensures that the meat does not dry out and absorbs all the delicious flavours.