Monday 4 February 2019

Slow-cooked Pork


Pork cheek is a widely available  and popular cut in France, costing between 16 and 20 euros per kilo from independent butchers. It is a cut for slow cooking (Fr. confites) and when it is served the meat should be soft enough to cut with a spoon. You need to be a bit organised with this dish, as not only does it require a short marination before a long simmering, but it is better cooked the day before you eat it, then reheated for serving. If you are a fan of nose to tail eating, this dish is totally worth the wait.


Ingredients:
800 g pork cheek (chunks of pork shoulder could be substituted)
5 tbsp olive oil (one that's been infused with a flavour is good)
5 cloves of garlic, crushed
Salt (smoked flakes are nice)
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup water
2 shallots, finely chopped
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar

Method:
  1. Heat the oven to 220C.
  2. Mix the oil, garlic, salt and pepper in an oven proof dish to make a marinade.
  3. Coat the pork in the marinade and leave for at least half an hour.
  4. Add the water to the dish and put the pork in the oven.
  5. Cook for 10 minutes, then add the shallots, vinegar and sugar.
  6. Stir the pork and lower the temperature of the oven to 150C.
  7. Cook for 2 hours 20 minutes, basting and turning the pork every 20 minutes.
  8. The next day reheat by returning the dish to the oven at 150C for 30 minutes.
  9. Serves 4, with potatoes (mash, dauphinoise or Anna) or pasta, slow roasted tomatoes and steamed buttered root vegetables, cabbage or romanescu.


Yum

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8 comments:

Ken Broadhurst said...

Is the pork dish cold in the last photo?

Susan said...

I can't remember to be honest. Anyway, the yellow isn't fat, if that's what you were thinking. The liquor produced came out that colour.

chm said...

This dish reminds me of my own Côtes de porc confites au lait that I used to make when I still lived in Salton City. Yours do sound as good as mine did!

Ken Broadhurst said...

Did your slow-cooked pork chops produce yellow liquid? I would think the red wine vinegar would color it pink.

chm said...

I don't think mijoté pendant une heure would be considered slow-cooked. But, as I recall, the result was very good. I'm sending you the recipe in French. No vinegar!

potty said...

Is there a recipe for Pork tail? I dare not look.

Susan said...

I haven't seen one, and won't be making it if I find one :-)

Susan said...

chm -- the pork above was *really* good.

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