Slow Cooker Pork Cheeks with Cocoa and Orange
An original slow cooker recipe featuring tender pork cheeks slowly cooked in a rich sauce of orange, tomato, cocoa, and gentle spices. The result is silky, aromatic, and perfect for a comforting meal.
Important notice: This recipe is not medical advice. Consult your healthcare professional.
Ingredients
- 1200 g trimmed pork cheeks (without exceso of grasa)
- 200 g yellow onion (chopped diced small)
- 150 g carrot (diced small)
- 15 g garlic (chopped)
- 180 ml orange juice (freshly squeezed)
- 6 g orange zest (solo the parte orange)
- 400 g crushed tomato (en conserva or casero)
- 240 ml chicken broth (low sodium if possible)
- 30 ml balsamic vinegar (aporta equilibrio)
- 8 g unsweetened cocoa powder (tamizado)
- 2 g ground cumin
- 2 g smoked paprika
- 1 g ground cinnamon
- 2 unit bay leaves
- 8 g salt (or to taste)
- 2 g black pepper (freshly ground)
- 15 ml olive oil (for dorar)
- 25 g sliced almonds (tostadas for servir)
- 10 g fresh parsley (chopped for servir)
Nutrition facts
per serving
Approximate nutritional information
Allergens
Instructions
- 1
Season the pork cheeks all over with the salt and black pepper.
- 2
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, about 375°F / 190°C on the cooking surface. Add the olive oil and brown the pork cheeks for 2 to 3 minutes per side until well colored. Transfer them to the slow cooker.
- 3
In the same skillet, add the onion, carrot, and garlic. Cook for 4 minutes over medium heat, about 320°F / 160°C, stirring to soften slightly.
- 4
Add the ground cumin, smoked paprika, ground cinnamon, and cocoa powder. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring so the spices and cocoa bloom without burning.
- 5
Stir in the orange juice, orange zest, crushed tomato, chicken broth, and balsamic vinegar. Mix well and bring to a gentle simmer, about 205°F / 96°C.
- 6
Pour this mixture over the pork cheeks in the slow cooker and add the bay leaves.
- 7
Cover and cook on the slow cooker low setting for 7 hours, until the meat is very tender and can be cut with a spoon. If your model lists equivalents, low usually runs around 190°F / 88°C to 200°F / 93°C.
- 8
Remove the bay leaves. If you want a thicker sauce, uncover the slow cooker and cook for 20 more minutes on high; that setting often runs around 300°F / 149°C to 310°F / 154°C at the base, depending on the model.
- 9
Serve the pork cheeks with the sauce spooned over the top. Finish with the toasted sliced almonds and chopped fresh parsley.
Chef tips
You can toast the almonds in a dry skillet for 2 minutes to deepen their flavor. This recipe becomes even more flavorful if it rests for 10 minutes before serving.
Substitutions
You can substitute the pork cheeks with large chunks of pork shoulder, though the texture will be less silky. Balsamic vinegar can be replaced with sherry vinegar. If you do not want to use almonds, omit them or use toasted pumpkin seeds, keeping in mind the allergen profile will change.
