West Indian Pork Cheek Stew
Recipe by Adrian Richardson from Secret Meat Business
Adrian shows us how to use a not so common cut of meat.
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
- 1kg pork cheek, cut into chunks
- 2 tbs. sunflower or olive oil
- 1 tsp. brown sugar
- 2 tbs. molasses
- ½ cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 potatoes, cubed
- 4 spring onions, chopped
- 4 clove garlic, chopped
- 2 tbs. fresh ginger, sliced
- ½ bunch thyme, leaves only, finely chopped
- 2 whole cloves, ground
- 2 cardamom pods, ground
- 1 star anise
- ½ tsp. peppercorns, ground
- ½ tsp. fresh nutmeg, grated
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 Scotch bonnet chilli, finely chopped
- 1 cup chicken or beef stock
- Salt & pepper
Marinade
- 2 cloves chopped garlic
- Pinch ground cumin
- 1 tbs. white wine vinegar
- 2 tbs. sunflower or olive oil
- Pepper
Method
- Place the pork in a bowl. Add the marinade ingredients & knead them into the meat. Marinate overnight.
- Heat the oil & sugar in a heavy based saucepan. When the sugar has caramelized, add the meat with a pinch of salt. Cook gently for 5 minutes until the pork is browned then transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Add a little more oil to the pan and then add the garlic, onions and carrots. Then add the bay leaf, cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves, cardamom, peppercorns, nutmeg, ginger, thyme, chilli and the white part of the spring onions.
- Return the meat to the pan and pour in enough stock or water to cover meat.
- Add the molasses and season to taste with salt & pepper.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 45, add the potatoes, stir well and simmer for a further 30 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked.
- Stir through parsley and green part of spring onion.
- Serve with fresh crusty bread.
