Recipe for pork cheeks in sauce

Pork cheeks are a cut of meat that, year by year, are becoming more and more popular. Extracted from the face of the animal (the cheeks of a cow or pig), resulting in a very tender and gelatinous type of meat, ideal even for those who are usually resistant to this type of meat. Also, who can resist some good pork/beef cheeks in Spanish sauce? Practically nobody.

When it comes to pork/beef cheeks in Spanish sauce, red wine is usually one of the main ingredients in this type of stew, as it enhances the flavour of the meat and makes the resulting sauce absolutely delicious. Preparing delicious pork/beef cheeks in red wine sauce is easy if you know how and, fortunately, nowadays there are many tools that can help us to achieve a top-notch dish without much difficulty.

Not only that: Iberian pork cheeks in sauce, for example, is a type of dish where you can add an abundance of ingredients, ranging from white rice to vegetables, or mashed, fried, or even baked potatoes. For all these reasons,  pork/beef cheeks in red wine sauce are a very versatile and delicious dish loved by almost everyone. 

Ingredients to prepare pork cheeks in sauce

Preparing tasty pork cheeks in sauce with a Thermomix is very simple. You just need to have the appropriate ingredients on hand and know what steps you need to take to proceed in the best way possible. If you want to prepare 2-4 servings of finger-licking pork cheeks in red wine sauce, take note of the ingredients:

• 6 pork cheeks
• 2 carrots
• 1 green pointed pepper
• 1 red bell pepper
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 onion
• 500ml of red wine
• 500ml of meat stock
• Salt
• Ground black pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil

Cooking pork cheeks in sauce with a Thermomix is a very easy option since all you need to do is control the speeds of the machine and throw in the ingredients as you go. Take note:

1. First, add the diced vegetables (the garlic, onion, peppers, and carrots) into the Thermomix container along with a small amount of oil. Next, blend the mixture for 5-10 seconds on speed 5. Then, using a spatula, remove any leftovers and set the Varoma temperature setting for 8 minutes on speed 2.
2. When the time has elapsed, finish by chopping for 30 seconds at a progressive speed of 5-7, as to avoid any lumps. The end result should be a more or less consistent mixture. 
3. Add the ground black pepper (in some recipes, it is recommended that you add a pinch of paprika; to your liking) and mix for 30 seconds on speed 1.
4. Next, add the previously seasoned and halved pork cheeks (with a bit of thyme and rosemary for example). In some recipes, it is recommended that you cover the meat in flour and seal it in a frying pan; feel free to do this if you have the time. With the pork cheeks already in the Thermomix, set the Varoma temperature setting and also the reverse soft speed for 10 minutes.
5. Afterwards, add the wine and stock and set the Varoma temperature setting and the reverse soft speed for another 40 minutes, so the stew can finish cooking. If you want to add some delicious potatoes to the dish, add them now in slices so that they absorb the sauce and the flavour of the pork cheeks. 
6. Finally, check if the pork cheeks are cooked to your liking, if not, leave them for a few extra minutes. 

Pork/beef cheeks in red wine sauce are always a success, and with low temperatures just around the corner, they will surely become a dish of excellences this autumn.