Pig cheeks

[Diflower]

I bought some of these yesterday. Waitrose have a bit of their butchers' counter labelled 'forgotten cuts', which varies week by week. I was in there just for a couple of odds and ends but always check the meat for any reductions, and there they were, reduced to £1.99 a kilo
The butcher said they usually sell fast but people aren't slow-cooking in this weather, but I thought I'd take advantage to have a go with them. They're 6 in a long pack, I just got one, 500-g for £1 so definitely worth a try.
I think I'm going to make some sort of chilli, which we could fancy, in the slow cooker so it won't heat up the kitchen. A bit more summery than usual, with plenty of fresh peppers added later. The we could either have it with rice, or in some tortillas with shredded lettuce, red onion, Greek yoghurt, etc...
Will report back

[manxie]

I was a butcher and often took home unsold pigs cheek and roasted them when the kids were all small and we were short on cash they were a really tasty meal hard to get now

Manxie xx

[Diflower]

Hello Manxie

Yes I gather lots of people have had no success buying them, butchers tend to use them for mince, more profit
Waitrose appears to be a fairly regular source though, which is great assuming we like them, and I don't see why not, they're lovely and lean. They're all prepared, nothing needs doing at all.

I've stuck them in with cumin, allspice, black pepper, oregano, paprika, salt, some of my homemade harissa, bay leaves, orange juice...something else...oh yes cider vinegar, and onion & garlic which I cooked a bit first. Later I'll taste for heat - the chillies in the harissa are a bit ferocious so I was afraid to use too much - and add sliced red pepper

[debih]

Mmmmmmmmmmmm pig cheeks. I love pig cheeks.

Long, slow cooking is best. I usually make a bolognaise of some sort

[Diflower]

Yes Bolognese would make sense too Debih.
They were very well cooked by about 4.15, I really must remember not to start the slow cooker with half an hour on high.
I tasted the juice at about 2.30, it was too strong so added a little boiling water and a big tomato, chopped. Nice now
Tried a little bit of the meat, it's lovely - just the same as any piece of casseroling-type pork

I've taken the meat out, and the juice separately so the fat can set on top. Still deciding just what to do, if we have fajitas it won't need the juice but that's ok, it's done its job.
Whether that or chilli, the meat will certainly be dead easy to shred It would be good for those who like pulled pork, mixed with some of the juice and bought barbecue sauce too
What a bargain!

[Diflower]

We had fajitas in the end - bloody lovely!
Shredded the meat. Put sliced red onion and red pepper in frying pan, added pork plus some (blitzed) juice. Had that in tortillas with salsa and Greek yoghurt.
Have to say, it wasn't really 'porky', more like beef. I'm not sure I'd have identified it as pork, and that's saying something

[Lozzles]

That sounds wonderful Di. D loves pulled pork, so I will try and get some piggy cheeks

[Diflower]

Waitrose seem to be the only regular supplier Loz, but they don't have them all the time. I'm pretty sure the full price was £2.99 a kilo, so if you find them in a butcher that's a guide
There were 6 in a vaccuum-pack, in a long line, so looked rather like a long pork fillet. You definitely don't want a whole pig cheek/side of face that you have to prepare yourself