Pigs Cheeks Chinese Style
Ingredients
- Two pigs cheeks (medium size)
- 5 star anise bulbs
- 1 tsp fennel powder
- 3 garlic gloves
- 1 lemongrass stem
- 3” of root ginger
- 1 tsp Char Su Sauce
- 3 tsp Hosin
- 1 tsp of Chao Zhou Chilli Oil (or similar – very hot!)
- 5 dsp light soy
- 20 green pepper corns
- 3 dsp Shao Shing Rice Wine
Recipe Instructions
- Take two pigs cheeks (medium size), remove the skin with a sharp knife.
- Prepare the marinade by crushing all the whole spices and roots in a pestle and mortar till a fine paste.
- Mix all the other spices and liquids into the paste in a ceramic marinade dish.
- Add the pigs cheeks and rub all the spices into the flesh.
- Cover the dish with cling film and refrigerate for 23 hours.
- Before cooking remove the cheeks from the fridge to come to and then cook for 30 minutes on a high heat to seal before turning the cheeks right down to 150C (or close to) to slowly roast. The dish to be placed over a trivet and water bath of fluids from the marinade and some hot water for the entire cooking time.
- After the cheeks have been in for about 3 hours or until tender. You can baste the cheeks every half an hour to keep them moist if so desired.
- Allow to rest for 20 minutes before carving into thin slices and serving with a plain rice and steamed bok choi. The cheeks are very rich so about ½ a cheek per person or less!
