Braised Pork Jowls with the Maligned Mélange
The much-maligned mélange gets its name from the undeserved yet pervasive bad reps held by each of the three principal ingredients in this delectable side: turnips, Brussels sprouts, and chestnuts. But I guarantee you’ll find that baby turnips are sweet and juicy and bear no resemblance to the bitter root vegetable you think you know. Gently sautéing wedges of fresh Brussels sprouts renders them crisp-tender and nutty, while browning chestnuts in a cast-iron pan makes removing their skins a snap, giving you unfettered access to the earthiness inside. Pork jowls, as the name implies, are pig cheeks. When cured, jowls become guanciale; braised, they offer amazing versatility and can then be sautéed, grilled, or added to soups. Like pork belly, jowls have tons of flavor and are very rich. I find that braising helps tame them a bit and makes the cut a little less intense. You’ll probably need to special order this cut from your butcher, but it’s worth it. You’ll need to start this recipe one day ahead.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Step 2
Place the meat, carrots, celery, garlic, onion, bay leaves, and peppercorns in a high-sided ovenproof pan with enough room for the jowls to move around and add water to cover by 1 inch. Cover the pan with foil or a tight-fitting lid and braise for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, or until a paring knife slides through the meat easily.
Step 3
Remove the jowls from the liquid, place in a shallow pan, and cover with a plate. Discard the liquid and vegetables. Put a couple of cans or a cast-iron pot on top of the plate to press the jowls and refrigerate overnight.
Step 4
Increase the oven temperature to 375°F.
Step 5
Prepare the chestnuts by cutting an X in the pointed end of each with a sharp knife. Heat a cast-iron skillet as hot as you can get it and place the chestnuts inside in a single layer. Brown for about 1 minute on the first side. Using tongs, flip the chestnuts and brown for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes longer. The color will darken and become spotted with black. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool. When the chestnuts are completely cool, the shells should pop off easily. Quarter the chestnuts and set aside.
Step 6
Remove any tough outer leaves from the Brussels sprouts by snapping them off at the base. Trim the base and quarter each sprout. Trim the stalks of the turnips and peel. Quarter lengthwise.
Step 7
Heat the butter in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the turnips and Brussels sprouts and stir to coat in butter. Cook until golden brown and charred in places, stirring frequently, 5 to 6 minutes total, adding the chestnuts halfway through the cooking time.
Step 8
While the vegetables are cooking, season the jowls liberally on both sides with kosher salt and plenty of cracked black pepper. Heat the olive oil in an ovenproof sauté pan over high heat and sear the jowls for 5 minutes with the fatty side down. Pop the pan in the oven and roast for an additional 5 minutes, or until crispy, golden, and heated through.
Step 9
When the vegetables are done, season with salt and pepper and toss with the thyme. Serve with the jowls.
