Iberico Pork Cheek Burgers with Brandy BBQ Sauce

3h 20 mins

6 people

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

Total Time

3h 20 mins

I have based this recipe on one of those trendy pulled pork burgers that you see everywhere at the minute. Instead, I use Iberico pork cheeks, cooked slowly in the oven with a homemade BBQ sauce made from smoked chipotle peppers and Spanish brandy. The cheeks carry bags of flavour and they retain moisture really well, so the burger won’t end up dry. The BBQ sauce is very simple to make, you just mix all the ingredients, bang it in the oven and wait for the goods to be delivered. I like to serve the burgers in a sweet brioche bun with some creamy apple and mustard slaw.

Ingredients
Method

For the pork cheeks:
1Kg Iberico pork cheeks
6 brioche burger buns
Few baby spinach leaves
3 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
100ml Spanish brandy
400g can of chopped tomatoes
100ml water
2 tsp smoked chipotle paste
½ tsp fennel seeds, crushed
½ tsp mustard powder
2 tbsp Worcester sauce
70g dark brown sugar
3 tbsp cider vinegar
3 tbsp tomato ketchup
Salt and pepper
For the apple and mustard slaw:
1 red onion, thinly sliced
¼ white cabbage, shredded
1 pink lady apple, cut into matchsticks
½ tbsp of wholegrain mustard
4 tbsp of mayonnaise
Juice of ½ lemon
Salt and pepper

Pre-heat your oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 for 30 minutes.
This dish is dead easy to make. Firstly, brown the pig cheeks on both sides in a large oven proof dish. Set aside. In the same casserole dish, fry the chopped onions and garlic until soft. Next, simply add all of the other ingredients and bring to the boil. Add the pig cheeks, then cover and transfer to the oven to cook low and slow. I went for 3 hours at 180°C.
For the apple and mustard slaw, mix all the ingredients in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper.
Once the pig cheeks are tender, remove them to a plate to rest. At this point you can add more sugar or seasoning to the sauce or some more brandy if you like it boozy. Use a hand blender to create a smooth, silky BBQ sauce, or blend it for less time if you want it chunkier.
To serve the burgers, simply squash the pork cheeks with a fork until broken up, mix with some of the sauce and reheat in a pan. Toast the brioche burger buns. Once the buns are toasted, lay on the base some baby spinach leaves, add a spoon of the apple and mustard slaw, followed by a spoonful of the pulled pork cheeks and finish with loads of the sweet, smokey, spicy sauce.

Ingredients

For the pork cheeks:
1Kg Iberico pork cheeks
6 brioche burger buns
Few baby spinach leaves
3 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
100ml Spanish brandy
400g can of chopped tomatoes
100ml water
2 tsp smoked chipotle paste
½ tsp fennel seeds, crushed
½ tsp mustard powder
2 tbsp Worcester sauce
70g dark brown sugar
3 tbsp cider vinegar
3 tbsp tomato ketchup
Salt and pepper
For the apple and mustard slaw:
1 red onion, thinly sliced
¼ white cabbage, shredded
1 pink lady apple, cut into matchsticks
½ tbsp of wholegrain mustard
4 tbsp of mayonnaise
Juice of ½ lemon
Salt and pepper

Method

Pre-heat your oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 for 30 minutes.
This dish is dead easy to make. Firstly, brown the pig cheeks on both sides in a large oven proof dish. Set aside. In the same casserole dish, fry the chopped onions and garlic until soft. Next, simply add all of the other ingredients and bring to the boil. Add the pig cheeks, then cover and transfer to the oven to cook low and slow. I went for 3 hours at 180°C.
For the apple and mustard slaw, mix all the ingredients in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper.
Once the pig cheeks are tender, remove them to a plate to rest. At this point you can add more sugar or seasoning to the sauce or some more brandy if you like it boozy. Use a hand blender to create a smooth, silky BBQ sauce, or blend it for less time if you want it chunkier.
To serve the burgers, simply squash the pork cheeks with a fork until broken up, mix with some of the sauce and reheat in a pan. Toast the brioche burger buns. Once the buns are toasted, lay on the base some baby spinach leaves, add a spoon of the apple and mustard slaw, followed by a spoonful of the pulled pork cheeks and finish with loads of the sweet, smokey, spicy sauce.

Add To Basket

Iberico Pork Cheek
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£20.00

Chef's Profile

Javier De La Hormaza

Javier is a Basque born, trained chef and hospitality professional, owner of Basco Fine Foods, a Spanish food and drink importer based in Yorkshire. He regularly runs client food and drink events around the country and he is a course tutor at Hartingtons of Bakewell cookery school. Javier's passion lies on bringing quality Spanish ingredients and recipes to as many people as possible.

Twitter: @bascofinefoods
Instagram: @mrbasco