Chipotle Pork Cheeks
Holy Shit Pork Cheeks, as in “Holy shit B, if you aren’t home in 10 minutes, I’m eating these all myself” He only got the 10 minutes because that was the amount of time I was going to have to spend photographing this. I got home and took the lid off the crockpot these were in all day and tried to lift out a cheek to taste and photograph and got my first realization of how amazing these would be–I literally couldn’t get one out whole, because they were so tender that they just fell apart. Into the delicious, porky broth below. This dish is certain to become a regular around here–for starters because despite eating it for dinner and lunch the following day, neither B nor I could stop thinking about the pork. On top of that, the total cost of the dish (which fed 2 people 2 meals) was a whopping $5. And I spent maybe 5 minutes on it.
Let me back up to the origin of the cheeks for a minute so you can appreciate the happy accident that turned out such an instant classic. Sometimes B has to go to the store. Sometimes he doesn’t pay too much attention to what he is buying, as long as it says “pork” and looks like it would be tasty on the grill. So when he got home and I told him I didn’t think cheek would do well on the grill, he glared at me. I gave him one to test and went out for the night. He wouldn’t admit that it was no good, but I noticed the rest of the cheeks in the fridge. He’s just trying to deny me my ‘told ya so’.
So the next day, I opened the fridge to make breakfast and saw the pork cheeks, begging me to use them in the slow cooker. I only got the cooker last week, and while my first attempt, shortribs, wasn’t terrible, I don’t think they’ll get made again. This, on the other hand, I’ll be making again, probably this week.
Holy Shit Pork Cheeks
4 Pork Cheeks
1/2 can Chipotle peppers (about three peppers)
Turkey stock to cover
oil
salt
pepper
Simply season the cheeks, sear them quickly on both sides in the oil and throw everything into the slow cooker for 9 hours. Or however long you are at work for.
The only two words to describe these is Holy Shit, so they are the words I use, but seriously, these are cheap, delicious and f-ing fantastic. So make them. Now.
What are you waiting for?? I said GO!
April 17, 2009 at 10:36 am |
At what store do you find Pork Cheek?
April 17, 2009 at 11:48 am |
Beautiful pic! I need to get a slow cooker…….
April 17, 2009 at 2:04 pm |
Yeah, ya do! Like I said, this is only my second time. I have one that also deep fries, though I haven’t tried to use it for that yet.
April 20, 2009 at 2:01 pm |
Where can you buy pork cheek?
Any butcher shop?
April 20, 2009 at 9:39 pm |
I bought mine at Dong Hing Market in the ID, my favorite place, but I get the idea they are decently common and that a good butcher should have them. Let me know how they turn out!
April 23, 2009 at 8:23 am |
[...] in addition to making our usual lentils for breakfast, I had another thing to prepare–our Holy Sh*t Pork Cheeks for tonight! When you’re on a budget and buying cheap cuts of meat and plan to come home [...]
June 22, 2009 at 9:06 pm |
[...] is busy work so it is nice to have someone to chit chat with. I started with the filling, using my Holy Shit Pork Cheeks with extra meat added, letting it stew all day while I was at work, scenting the house with a [...]
October 20, 2009 at 11:56 pm |
[...] then one day, I felt like making these, figuring that instead of the pork cheeks, I’d substitute in the tongue. Not knowing too [...]