Prosecco & Hot Sauce glazed pork cheeks

It seems just a couple of weeks ago we enjoyed an Indian summer, going for long walks in the sunshine, enjoying the last days on the beach. The rain arrived, it got darker earlier and all of the sudden I was roaming around my closet looking for warmer coats.
Colder weather always makes me think of slow cooking and warming, comforting food in plenty.
Having a stall at the market is great, our market has grown and changed since I joined. It has become more foodie and I love this photo from a friend who has a stall opposite me selling delicious Polish food.

It was a gorgeous sunny day and the weather makes such a difference, rain and wind can be a bit challenging.
A local market is a great place for a weekly shop. The regular shoppers usually have one of two strategies;
Either get there early in the morning and have the best choice of the produce or antiques, or come just before closing and be able to get some deals, especially on perishable produce.
I like to have a look around first thing and chatting to the butcher I asked him what he does to pigs cheeks. He said they usually go in to sausages so I asked him to save me some, they are perfect for slow cooking. I have made this before but I absolutely love it and I made some very small amendments from last time. You can find the previous recipe here.
This recipe also works with pork belly if you can’t find pork cheeks. It will be a little fattier but it is absolutely delicious.
Prosecco and hot sauce glazed pork cheeks
preparation time 5 minutes
cooking time 2.5 hr
oven 150C or 300F
serves 2 as a main or 4 as a starter
Ingredients
- 6 pork cheeks, meat only
- 4 dl or 2 cups cold water
- 3 dl or 1 1/2 cup prosecco or champange
- 2 dl or 1 cup molasses
- oil for browning
For the glaze
- 1 dl or 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 4 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 3 tsp Heatonomy hot sauce, or the hot sauce of your liking
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 piece of fresh ginger, peeled and cut julienne
To serve
- 10 baby gem lettuce leaves
- 2 grated carrots
- pickled cucumber
- thinly sliced leek
Trim the pork cheeks if necessary and keep them whole.
Heat oil in an oven proof pan with a lid and brown the pork cheeks. Add the water, prosecco and molasses. Make sure the molasses is dissolved and bring the liquid to a boil. Place the lid on the pan and put it in the oven for 2 hours.
Whilst the pork cheeks are cooking prepare the glaze.
When the pork cheeks are cooked remove them from the liquid. Add the glaze ingredients and bring everything to a boil. Let it boil until the liquid is reduced and it has a syrup consistency.

Gently break up the pork cheeks and put them back into the glaze to re heat.
Place the grated carrot in a lettuce leaf, add the pork, make sure it is coated with the glaze. Add the cucumber and leek.


This is one of my favorite pork dishes. It makes a great snack or starter, especially on a cold and dark evening and it tastes even better with a glass or two of prosecco.
This week is special, I am a Fiesta Friday co host with Juhls, The Not So Creative Cook – she is of course wonderfully creative and cook some delicious foods! Fiesta Friday is a great foodie blog party hosted by the lovely Angie. Come and join us, read the recipes and get inspired! If you have a great time please also feel free to rate the our party! You can find it in the category Food.
Sounds wonderful and look forward to trying them out this way. I cook them in cider, onions, bay leaves, Dijon mustard and a couple of dollops of creme fraiche. Super yummy and comforting in this weather. Can I ask what you mean by dl in your measurements? Thank you! X
hi Jasmine
Oh that sounds absolutely delicious! dl is a deciliter, close to 1/2 cup, used in Europe 🙂 x
Thank you so much….feel a bit silly as I’ve never come across this measurement. I will look it up and convert. Keep up the great work! Btw, which market do you work from? x
hi Jasmine,
It is the metric measurement and what I grew up with, I had never used cups to measure anything so a whole new thing! 🙂
I trade at the market in Deal, Kent on Saturdays. It is a great market in a lovely town! 🙂 x
Looks truly llovely Petra – and btw Jasmine above is my sister 🙂 and I love her cooking ! I was saying just the other day how difficult it is to find beef cheeks in Italy – or well, around where I live at any rate near Rome – and that’s because the restaurants hog them all. Pork cheeks in this country are dried and salted to make guanciale, so I’ve never actually seen them at the butchers. Hmmm.
hi Jo
Oh I see! Please say hello to Jasmine in real life from me 🙂
Beef cheeks are not all that common but I can order them from the local butcher. They also save pork cheeks for me so I have can buy a few at the time.
I have read about guanciale but never tried it as I have never seen it for sale 🙂
Do you have a butcher you could ask perhaps? Both pork and beef cheeks are delicious! x
If I can, Petra, I will gladly bring some guanciale back for you next time I visit Jo in Rome. 😊X
hi Jasmine
I would absolutely love to try some and would be happy to pay for it of course! If you come to Deal let me know! 🙂 x
Looks very tasty!
hi Daniel
Thank you! I don’t find pork cheeks very often so it is always a treat and this is one of my favorite ways to have it! 🙂
The glaze on these sounds wonderful! They look amazing so I’m sure they taste amazing! 🙂
hi Nancy
Thank you! It is a bit extravagant with the prosecco but very worth it! And there is enough for a glass or two! 🙂
That sounds soo…good! Omg, I’m so hungry!!
hi Angie
Thank you, I wish I had made more, next time! 🙂 x
Dear Petra
So lovely to meet you at Deal Market this morning. Thank you so much for the pig cheek recipe.
Hi Toye, it was great to meet you! I hope you enjoyed the pork cheeks 🙂 Petra x