I recently came across pork jowl and have cooked it a couple of different ways. Braising it, searing it and then roasting it makes a really delicious dish. Some butchers may consider the jowl the 'cheek' but you want the cut that includes much of the neck. It's incredibly fatty and will weigh roughly 3-5 pounds uncooked. I've never seen it in a regular grocery store and have been getting it directly from a local pastured pig farm. An extra bonus is that few people buy this cut around here and so it's one of the cheaper cuts too.
I've been wet curing it in a brine in the fridge for a few day first. But this step isn't necessary.
3 pork jowls cut into 2 or 3 oz pieces (you can just use the whole jowl but I like to cut it up in 2-3oz pieces first so each portion gets fried later)
1 head garlic
1 onion
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon peppercorns
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
2 teaspoons thyme
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Place the meat, garlic, onion, thyme, bay leaves, and peppercorns in a high-sided ovenproof pan with enough room for the jowls to move around and add water or stock. I don't completely immerse the jowls, but some recipes do call for covering it to one inch. A dutch oven won't require full immersion but other types of pots may. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and braise for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, or until a paring knife slides through the meat easily.
Remove the jowls from the liquid, place cuts on plates. Press the jowls with an additional plate and a heavy pot on top and refrigerate overnight.
Season the jowls liberally on both sides with salt and plenty of cracked black pepper. Heat lard in a 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.
I've been wet curing it in a brine in the fridge for a few day first. But this step isn't necessary.
3 pork jowls cut into 2 or 3 oz pieces (you can just use the whole jowl but I like to cut it up in 2-3oz pieces first so each portion gets fried later)
1 head garlic
1 onion
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon peppercorns
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
2 teaspoons thyme
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Place the meat, garlic, onion, thyme, bay leaves, and peppercorns in a high-sided ovenproof pan with enough room for the jowls to move around and add water or stock. I don't completely immerse the jowls, but some recipes do call for covering it to one inch. A dutch oven won't require full immersion but other types of pots may. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and braise for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, or until a paring knife slides through the meat easily.
Remove the jowls from the liquid, place cuts on plates. Press the jowls with an additional plate and a heavy pot on top and refrigerate overnight.
Season the jowls liberally on both sides with salt and plenty of cracked black pepper. Heat lard in a 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.