Dry-cured Smoked Pork Cheek 750g

Regarded highly by our chef community, pork cheek is a wonderfully unctuous cut, full of rich flavours. Dry-cured and lightly-smoked pig cheek is perfect for slow-simmering with stock vegetables and herbs, sliced and served with buttery mash and greens or allowed to set overnight in the fridge, sliced and pan fried to a golden exterior.

Inspiration by Chef Valentine Warner
"Very similar to guanciale, the Italian cured pork jowl, this cheek is then smoked post-curing.

Delicious simply boiled then sliced and laid upon warm lentils dressed in vinaigrette and this makes for a most delicious version of petit salé. Use the carrots and onion simmered with the smoked pork cheek to then chop and add to the lentils and herbs.

Alternatively poach it, remove the rind and take this to the coals with a barbecue sauce of molasses and ketchup or alternatively my favourite sauce of brown sugar, reduced stout, fresh ginger, pepper and blitzed with pickled walnuts.

It is delicious once poached and served with sauerkraut or mustard sauce or both accompaniments."

*Pork cheeks are from high welfare, heritage breed Middle White and Tamworth pigs. Native breeds have an exceptional depth-of-flavour, the Tamworth is particularly well known for its superb bacon.