The jowl is the side of the pig’s head containing the cheek. A good butcher will be able to get this for you. If you can’t find jowl, use pork belly instead.
Ingredients
- rock salt 100g
- soft brown sugar 50g
- star anise 4
- thyme 6 sprigs
- pork jowls (about 1.25kg total)
- pork or chicken stock 1 litre
- oranges 6
- caster sugar 100g
- butter 25g
- fennel bulbs 2, thinly sliced
- white wine vinegar 25ml
Method
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Step 1
Mix together the salt, sugar, star anise and thyme. Scatter enough to cover the base of a container, add the pork jowls and sprinkle with the remaining cure. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours (but no more than 8). Wash off the cure and pat the jowls dry with kitchen paper.
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Step 2
Heat the oven to 170C/fan 150/gas 3½. Put the jowls skin-side up in a baking tray and add enough stock to come halfway up the jowls. Cover tightly with tin foil and cook for 3 hours or until really tender. Drain the liquid, saving it for the sauce, and put the jowls onto a flat tray. Cover with clingfilm and put another tray on top, with some cans for weight, and chill overnight to press.
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Step 3
Peel 4 of the oranges, being careful not to get any pith. Juice these oranges and put aside. Put the peels into a pan of cold water and bring to the boil. Drain and repeat 3 or 4 times to remove bitterness.
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Step 4
Put 50g of the caster sugar into a pan with a splash of water and cook gently until dissolved, then turn up the heat and cook until it turns into a dark caramel. Add the orange juice, the remainder of the sugar, the butter and orange peels into the pan and reduce by 1/3. Blend in a food processor until completely smooth – this may take about 5 minutes.
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Step 5
Put the pork cooking liquor into a pan and reduce until it has a saucy consistency, skimming off any fat.
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Step 6
Remove the skin from the jowls and cut them in half, ensuring both pieces have a piece of cheek, so that you have four pieces of meat. Put the skin between two flat baking sheets lined with baking paper and cook in the oven at 200C/fan 180C/gas 6 for 25-30 minutes or until crisp.
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Step 7
Put the fennel into a bowl and segment the remaining 2 oranges, then cut in 1/2. Toss with the white wine vinegar and some seasoning.
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Step 8
To serve, heat an ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat and cook the jowls, fat-side down, for 5-6 minutes or until crisp. Carefully flip and put into the oven for 6-7 minutes.
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Step 9
Serve each piece with the crispy skin, burnt orange purée, fennel salad and sauce.
Nutritional Information
- Kcals 814
- Fat 46.7g
- Saturates 17.7g
- Carbs 39.8g
- Sugars 36g
- Fibre 5.2g
- Protein 55.9g
- Salt 3.6g
