Cheeks in Red Wine Sauce

Ingredients

• 8 pork or beef cheeks (previously seasoned with salt and pepper)
• 3 tbsp olive oil (a splash for searing)
• 1 onion (finely chopped)
• 1 carrot (finely chopped)
• 0.5 red bell pepper (finely chopped)
• 0.5 green bell pepper (finely chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic (crushed or minced)
• salt (to taste)
• black pepper (freshly ground to taste)
• 750 ml red wine (a full bottle)
• 250 ml beef stock (a small glass (optional))

Steps

1. 1

   Heat a splash of olive oil over high heat in a large pot.

2. 2

   Place the pre-seasoned cheeks in the pot and sear them for 2 minutes on each side until they are browned on the outside but raw on the inside.

3. 3

   Remove the cheeks from the pot and set them aside on a plate, keeping the oil and meat juices in the pot.

4. 4

   In the same pot, add the onion, carrot, red pepper, green pepper, and garlic, all finely chopped.

5. 5

   Season the vegetables with a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper.

6. 6

   Cook the vegetables over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they soften.

7. 7

   Return the reserved cheeks to the pot along with the vegetables.

8. 8

   Cover everything with the bottle of red wine and add the glass of beef stock to mellow the flavor.

9. 9

   Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to minimum. Simmer gently ('chup chup') for 2 to 3 hours. If using a pressure cooker, the time is reduced to 40 minutes.

10. 10

    Halfway through cooking (if using a regular pot), cover the pot to prevent excessive evaporation of liquids.

11. 11

    Once the meat is very tender, carefully remove it from the sauce and set it aside.

12. 12

    Blend the sauce and vegetables in a blender or food processor until the mixture is fine and lump-free.

13. 13

    Return the blended sauce to the pot and heat so it regains its dark color.

14. 14

    Place the cheeks back into the sauce with very gentle folding motions to avoid breaking the meat.

15. 15

    Cook everything together for an additional 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

This technique also works perfectly with other succulent meats like beef shin (shank) or oxtail. If you prefer a more intense sauce, you can omit the beef stock and use only wine.

Nutrition per serving

• main course
• meat
• stew
• slow cooking
• dinner
• lunch