Go Back
Slow roasted pork cheeks in cider sauce with apple wedges and thyme, served in a Dutch oven on a wooden table

Slow-Roasted Pork Cheeks in Cider: Fork-Tender Braise

Pork cheeks braised in dry cider, stock, and apple wedges for 3 hours until they shred with a fork, finished with a glossy reduced sauce.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 35 minutes
Total Time 4 hours
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: French
Calories: 480
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Pork Cheeks
  • 8 pieces pork cheeks, trimmed (about 1.2 kg)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp flour, for dusting optional, omit for gluten-free
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 30 g butter
For the Braise
  • 2 onions, sliced medium
  • 2 carrots, diced medium
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 500 ml dry hard cider
  • 300 ml chicken or pork stock low-sodium
  • 1 apple, cored and quartered large; Braeburn or Granny Smith
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 fresh thyme sprigs
To Finish
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

Method
 

Sear the Pork Cheeks
  1. Heat the oven to 150 C / 300 F.
  2. Pat pork cheeks fully dry, season with salt and pepper, and dust lightly with flour if using.
  3. Heat olive oil and butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear cheeks in batches of 3 to 4, 2 to 3 minutes per side, until deep golden brown. Set aside.
Build the Braise
  1. Add onions, carrots, and celery to the same pot. Cook 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and browned at the edges.
  2. Add garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
  3. Pour in the cider, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a simmer and let bubble for 2 minutes.
  4. Return pork cheeks to the pot. Add stock, apple wedges, bay leaves, and thyme. Liquid should come about two-thirds up the sides of the cheeks.
Slow Roast
  1. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Braise for 3 hours (180 minutes), until the pork cheeks are fork-tender and shred easily, internal temp about 195 F / 90 C.
  2. Remove cheeks and apple wedges with a slotted spoon, cover with foil, and rest while you finish the sauce.
Finish the Sauce
  1. Strain the braising liquid into a saucepan, discarding the bay leaves and thyme stems. Skim off any fat sitting on top.
  2. Simmer the liquid over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until reduced by half and glossy enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  3. Stir in the vinegar and season to taste. Return the cheeks to the sauce, warm through for 2 minutes, and garnish with parsley before serving.

Notes

  • Trim excess sinew from pork cheeks before searing for even texture.
  • Sear in batches so the pot stays hot enough to brown, not steam.
  • Braise liquid should reach two-thirds up the cheeks, not fully submerge them.
  • Reduce the strained sauce until it coats the back of a spoon.