Meat, Busy evenings
Braised pork cheeks with mashed potatoes
Braised pork cheeks is a slow cooked dish for 4 people, made with pork cheeks simmered for 2 hours 30 minutes in the oven with white wine and vegetables, served with homemade mashed potatoes. Plan for about 3 hours total, medium difficulty, and €3.00 per person. The key is a long, covered, low temperature cook that turns the meat soft enough to cut with a spoon.
This weekend, pork cheeks braised in the oven for hours, so tender you can cut them with a spoon, with homemade mashed potatoes.
- Total time
- 3 h
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Cost per person
- €3.00
- Calories per person
- 630 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
- Season
- Fall, Winter
Pork cheeks are a cheap cut full of collagen, which changes everything once cooked low and slow. After two and a half hours covered in the oven, they turn so tender a knife becomes pointless, the meat just falls apart. White wine, carrots, and garlic season the sauce gently without ever covering up the pork flavor.
This is a weekend recipe, not a weeknight one, since it needs real oven time even though the actual work is simple. It suits a lazy Sunday with the family or a dinner with guests when you don't want to be stuck at the stove, the pot cooks on its own while you do something else.
The ingredients
Butcher
- Pork cheeks 1 kg
Fruits and vegetables
- Carrots 2
- Onions 2
- Garlic 4 cloves
- Thyme 4 sprigs
- Mashing potatoes 1 kg
Pantry
- Dry white wineoften in the pantry 20 cl
- Chicken brothoften in the pantry 30 cl
- Bay leavesoften in the pantry 2 leaves
- Sunflower oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
- Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
- Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch
Dairy
- Milk 20 cl
- Butter 60 g
Allergens Lactose
The step by step recipe
-
Season the cheeks with salt and pepper, then brown them in the oil over high heat in a Dutch oven. 10 min
Pat the cheeks dry before searing, they brown better.
-
Remove them, sauté the onions, carrots, and garlic, then deglaze with the white wine. 8 min
Scrape up the browned bits, they're the heart of the sauce.
-
Put the cheeks back in, add the broth, thyme, and bay leaves, cover and bake at 150°C. 2 h 30
Check with a fork, the meat should fall apart easily.
-
Peel and cook the potatoes, then mash them with the butter and warm milk. 20 min
Use a potato masher, a food processor would make the mash gluey.
-
Reduce the cooking juices for a few minutes on the stove, then spoon over the cheeks and serve with the mash. 5 min
Strain the juices if you want a smooth sauce.
Our tips to get it right
- Ask your butcher for well trimmed cheeks, they cook more evenly and leave you with a less greasy sauce.
- Let the meat rest out of the oven for a few minutes before serving, it relaxes and becomes even easier to portion.
- Make the mash during the last forty minutes the cheeks are cooking so everything lands on the table hot together.
The variations
- Swap the white wine for dry cider for a rounder, slightly tangy sauce.
- Add sliced button mushrooms with the carrots for a more autumn leaning version.
- For a creamier mash, replace part of the potatoes with parsnips.
What to serve it with
- A sharply dressed green salad
- Crusty bread for the sauce
- A glass of the same white wine
Storage
The cheeks and their sauce keep for 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. The meat freezes well with a bit of sauce, up to 2 months. Reheat gently in a covered pot on the stove or in the oven so the meat doesn't dry out.
Questions about this dish
Can you use a different cut instead of pork cheeks?
Beef chuck or pork shoulder both work well since they're also rich in collagen. Just adjust the cooking time based on how thick the pieces are.
Can you make this dish ahead of time?
Yes, it's actually recommended, the meat tastes even better reheated the next day. Cook the cheeks the day before and save the mash for serving day.
Can you cook the cheeks in a pressure cooker to save time?
Yes, plan for about 45 minutes under pressure instead of 2 hours 30 minutes in the oven. The result is slightly less tender but still very good.
Why do you need to brown the cheeks well before braising?
This step caramelizes the surface of the meat and creates browned bits that flavor the entire sauce. Skip it and the dish stays bland despite the long cooking time.
How long does it take to make braised pork cheeks with homemade mashed potatoes?
Count 3 h in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.
How many calories are in braised pork cheeks with homemade mashed potatoes?
About 630 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.
How much does braised pork cheeks with homemade mashed potatoes cost?
About €3.00 per serving, or €12.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.
What allergens does this recipe contain?
This recipe contains lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.
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