Recipe: Ethan Stowell's Braised Pork Jowls

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons / Danilo Alfaro

The jowl is the cut of meal that runs along the side of the head better known as the cheek. The most common preparation of pork jowl is guanciale, a cured meat similar to pancetta. We are addicted to the version put out by Salumi here in Seattle.

Using the braising technique from the Saveur Chefs 100, Stowell's hearty recipe will surely please any pork lover. We suggest consulting butcher extraordinaire Russell Flint from Rainshadow Meats in the beloved Melrose Market.

Braised Pork Jowls with the Maligned Mélange

Serves 4

4 of the smallest pork jowls you can find
2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
3 stalks celery, roughly chopped
1 head garlic, unpeeled, sliced in half horizontally
1 onion, chopped
2 fresh bay leaves
1 teaspoon peppercorns
1/2 pound fresh chestnuts
1/2 pound Brussels sprouts
1/2 pound small turnips (about 2 bunches)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Place the meat, carrots, celery, garlic, onion, bay leaves, and peppercorns in a high-sided ovenproof pan with enough room for the jowls to move around and add water to cover by 1 inch. Cover the pan with foil or a tight-fitting lid and braise for 31/2 to 4 hours, or until a paring knife slides through the meat easily.

Remove the jowls from the liquid, place in a shallow pan, and cover with a plate. Discard the liquid and vegetables. Put a couple of cans or a cast-iron pot on top of the plate to press the jowls and refrigerate overnight.

Increase the oven temperature to 375°F.

Prepare the chestnuts by cutting an X in the pointed end of each with a sharp knife. Heat a cast-iron skillet as hot as you can get it and place the chestnuts inside in a single layer. Brown for about 1 minute on the first side. Using tongs, flip the chestnuts and brown for 1 to 11/2 minutes longer. The color will darken and become spotted with black. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool. When the chestnuts are completely cool, the shells should pop off easily. Quarter the chestnuts and set aside.

Remove any tough outer leaves from the Brussels sprouts by snapping them off at the base. Trim the base and quarter each sprout. Trim the stalks of the turnips and peel. Quarter lengthwise.

Heat the butter in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the turnips and Brussels sprouts and stir to coat in butter. Cook until golden brown and charred in places, stirring frequently, 5 to 6 minutes total, adding the chestnuts halfway through the cooking time.

While the vegetables are cooking, season the jowls liberally on both sides with kosher salt and plenty of cracked black pepper. Heat the olive oil in an ovenproof sauté 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.

When the vegetables are done, season with salt and pepper and toss with the thyme. Serve with the jowls.

We can't help but wonder whether Stowell will be serving up some jowl Sunday at Cochon555 (tickets are still available). We agree wholeheartedly with his assertion that fat done right is absolutely delicious. Better start loosening our belt buckles and hit the gym a few times before the epic eating and wine toasting commences.

Reprinted with permission from Ethan Stowell’s New Italian Kitchen by Ethan Stowell and Leslie Miller, copyright © 2010. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House.