Ingredients

1 kg pork cheeks, trimmed
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, roughly chopped
6 shallots, peeled and halved
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 green apple, peeled, cored and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups Port wine
2 Tbsp honey
3 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
a few sprigs of fresh thyme
2 Tbsp grainy Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Season the pork cheeks generously with salt and pepper.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the pork cheeks on all sides until browned. Remove and set aside.

In the same skillet, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sauté the onion, shallots, carrots, apple and garlic until the vegetables are softened and lightly browned.

Transfer the sautéed vegetables to a large oven-safe casserole dish or Dutch oven with a lid.

Place the seared pork cheeks on top of the vegetables in the casserole dish.

In a saucepan, combine the Port wine, honey and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, skimming off any impurities that rise to the surface.

Pour the hot liquid over the pork cheeks and vegetables. Add the bay leaf and thyme sprigs.

Cover the dish with the lid and place it in the preheated oven.

Braise for 3 to 4 hours, or until the pork cheeks are fork-tender.

Carefully remove the pork cheeks from the dish and set them aside on a plate.

Strain the braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a saucepan, discarding the solids.

Bring the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat and reduce by half, until it reaches a sauce-like consistency.

Whisk in the grainy Dijon mustard and butter until the sauce is smooth and glossy.

Return the pork cheeks to the saucepan with the sauce to heat through for about 5 minutes.

Serve the pork cheeks topped with the sauce and garnish with chopped fresh parsley. Pair with mashed potatoes, rice or crusty bread.

Notes: Pork cheeks can be found at many local butcher shops. Stillmeadow Farm is a great source of local quality pork and you can find where to source their products on their website in the (where to buy) section. stillmeadowfarm.ca/where-to-buy-our-products