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Braised Pork Cheeks and Polenta

Frank's Braised Pork Cheeks, Ragu & Polenta

Indulge in a dish that's sure to impress with my recipe for Braised Pork Cheeks with Polenta. This stunning combination of tender pork cheeks and creamy polenta is a true feast for the senses.
The contrast of the rich, melt-in-your-mouth pork cheeks with the creamy polenta creates a harmonious balance of textures and flavors. Each meaty bite is a delight to the taste buds, making this dish a true showstopper for any special occasion.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 3
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Spansih
Calories: 392
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 400 g of pork cheeks (almost a pound) trimmed of excess sinew and fat
  • flour for dusting optional
  • 1/2 large onion roughly diced
  • 1 large carrot roughly diced
  • 1 celery stick sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves sliced
  • 1.5 tsp of oregano chopped
  • 250 ml of chicken stock for cheeks
  • 100 ml of passata sauce, or canned crushed tomatoes
  • Dried mushrooms (a handful, if you have some laying around) optional
  • 100 ml of a drinkable red wine optional
  • 50 g of fresh mushrooms sliced
  • 3 Tbsp Neutral oil for frying
  • 2 cup of rocket (arugula) for garnish washed and rinsed
  • FOR THE POLENTA:
  • 150 g of dry instant polenta Or premade if they have it at your grocer
  • 150 g of Parmesan finely grated
  • 500 ml vegetable stock for polenta
  • 1 Tbsp of butter or more
  • salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • Stainless Steel Kitchen Tongs
  • Silicone Spatula

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 140°C.
  2. Use a Dutch oven or a casserole dish with a lid and put it on the stove over medium-high heat.
  3. Trim off any excess fat and sinew, and season them well with salt and pepper. Brown them on both sides in a large skillet over high heat, until they are caramelized and golden.
  4. Do this in two batches if needed, to avoid overcrowding the pan, and making sure you get some good color on the meat.
  5. Remove the cheeks and reserve on a plate Turn the heat down to medium.
  6. Add some more oil and then throw in the mirepoix: onion, carrot, celery, + garlic mushrooms and oregano, cover and sweat for 10 minutes until everything is soft.
  7. Pour the red wine into the pan and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Let it simmer for about 3 minutes to evaporate the alcohol, then put the cheeks on top of the vegetables again.
  8. Add the tomato sauce and the chicken stock to the casserole and bring it to a boil. Then, cover the casserole and transfer it to the oven.
  9. Cook for 2.5-3 hours, checking every 30 minutes starting at 2 hours, and flipping the cheeks, when you do. They should be very soft and starting to fall apart when done
  10. Strain the sauce from the pork cheeks into a saucepan, using a sieve or chinois and pressing hard with a spoon. (if you want to reduce the the sauce) Cover the pork cheeks and keep them warm. Or just serve.
  11. Cook your polenta according to the directions. Chicken stock will give more flavor than water.
  12. Adding some pepper and a Tbsp of butter as the final touch will kick up the flavor.
  13. To serve, spoon some warm polenta on each plate and top with one or two sliced cheeks. Pour some of the rich sauce, mushroom over them.

Notes

The sauce becomes a wonderful 'gravy'.