Iberian Cheek Cannelloni
Elevate your next gathering with our indulgent Iberian Cheek Cannelloni! This show-stopping dish features tender braised Iberian pork cheeks enveloped in delicate pasta, all smothered in a rich, savory sauce. With a few simple techniques, you'll impress your guests and satisfy their taste buds in no time!
Prep
30
min
Cook
90
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(3)
- 3 zanahorias
- 1 puerro
- 1 cebolla
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 500ml caldo de verduras/pollo (16.9 fl oz)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 60ml mantequilla (2.03 fl oz)
- 1L leche (4227 cup)
🫙Pantry Staples(1)
- 60ml harina (2.03 fl oz)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- 300ml vaso de vino tinto (10.1 fl oz)
📦Other(3)
- 100ml vaso brandy (3.38 fl oz)
- Placas de canelón
- 1kg carrilleras ibéricas (35.3 oz)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
1170
Protein
65g
Carbs
70g
Fat
59g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Start by seasoning the Iberian cheeks with salt and pepper on all sides. Set aside.
- 2
Add the vegetables (carrots, onion, leek) to the pot, they do not need to be finely chopped.
- 3
Once the vegetables are softened, return the cheeks to the pot and add a splash of brandy and red wine.
- 4
Cook until the alcohol evaporates, then cover completely with broth, cover, and simmer on low heat for an hour and a half.
- 5
Remove the cheeks and set aside the broth to strain and reduce. Blend the remaining broth with the vegetables to create a fine puree.
- 6
Shred the cheeks and mix them with the sauce to form the filling for the cannelloni.
- 7
Prepare a simple béchamel sauce using more milk to keep it liquid.
- 8
Pour some béchamel at the bottom of a baking dish, place the cannelloni, and cover with plenty of béchamel.
- 9
Finish with the reduced broth and a generous amount of grated cheese.
- 10
Bake at 180 degrees for 15 minutes, then gratin for 3 minutes, and it will be ready.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Sear the Iberian cheeks in a hot pan (400°F/200°C) for 2-3 minutes per side before braising to develop a Maillard crust that adds savory depth; this fond also deglazes with brandy to build sauce complexity.technique400°F/200°C, 2-3 minutes per side
- ✓After shredding the braised cheeks, reduce the strained broth by 40-50% before blending with vegetables; this concentrates collagen into gelatin and intensifies umami, preventing a watery filling that causes cannelloni to rupture during baking.timing40-50% reduction
- ✓Make your béchamel with a 1:1 butter-to-flour ratio by weight (60g each) whisked over medium heat for 2 minutes to cook out raw flour taste, then add milk at 160°F (71°C) gradually to prevent lumps and achieve a pourable consistency for the liquid béchamel topping.technique1:1 ratio, 160°F/71°C milk temperature
- ✓Add 15-20% of the reduced braising liquid back into the cheek filling (roughly 75-100ml) to maintain moisture; without it, the shredded meat dries out during the 25-30 minute bake, even under béchamel coverage.ingredient15-20% braising liquid ratio, 25-30 minutes baking
- ✓Simmer the braised cheeks at 190-200°F (88-93°C) for exactly 90 minutes rather than higher heat; at this temperature, collagen converts to gelatin gradually without toughening muscle fibers, yielding silky shred-able meat instead of stringy texture.timing190-200°F/88-93°C, 90 minutes
Share this recipe
Prep
30
min
Cook
90
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Iberian Cheek Cannelloni
Elevate your next gathering with our indulgent Iberian Cheek Cannelloni! This show-stopping dish features tender braised Iberian pork cheeks enveloped in delicate pasta, all smothered in a rich, savory sauce. With a few simple techniques, you'll impress your guests and satisfy their taste buds in no time!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(3)
- 3 zanahorias
- 1 puerro
- 1 cebolla
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 500ml caldo de verduras/pollo (16.9 fl oz)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 60ml mantequilla (2.03 fl oz)
- 1L leche (4227 cup)
🫙Pantry Staples(1)
- 60ml harina (2.03 fl oz)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- 300ml vaso de vino tinto (10.1 fl oz)
📦Other(3)
- 100ml vaso brandy (3.38 fl oz)
- Placas de canelón
- 1kg carrilleras ibéricas (35.3 oz)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
1170
Protein
65g
Carbs
70g
Fat
59g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Start by seasoning the Iberian cheeks with salt and pepper on all sides. Set aside.
- 2
Add the vegetables (carrots, onion, leek) to the pot, they do not need to be finely chopped.
- 3
Once the vegetables are softened, return the cheeks to the pot and add a splash of brandy and red wine.
- 4
Cook until the alcohol evaporates, then cover completely with broth, cover, and simmer on low heat for an hour and a half.
- 5
Remove the cheeks and set aside the broth to strain and reduce. Blend the remaining broth with the vegetables to create a fine puree.
- 6
Shred the cheeks and mix them with the sauce to form the filling for the cannelloni.
- 7
Prepare a simple béchamel sauce using more milk to keep it liquid.
- 8
Pour some béchamel at the bottom of a baking dish, place the cannelloni, and cover with plenty of béchamel.
- 9
Finish with the reduced broth and a generous amount of grated cheese.
- 10
Bake at 180 degrees for 15 minutes, then gratin for 3 minutes, and it will be ready.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Sear the Iberian cheeks in a hot pan (400°F/200°C) for 2-3 minutes per side before braising to develop a Maillard crust that adds savory depth; this fond also deglazes with brandy to build sauce complexity.technique400°F/200°C, 2-3 minutes per side
- ✓After shredding the braised cheeks, reduce the strained broth by 40-50% before blending with vegetables; this concentrates collagen into gelatin and intensifies umami, preventing a watery filling that causes cannelloni to rupture during baking.timing40-50% reduction
- ✓Make your béchamel with a 1:1 butter-to-flour ratio by weight (60g each) whisked over medium heat for 2 minutes to cook out raw flour taste, then add milk at 160°F (71°C) gradually to prevent lumps and achieve a pourable consistency for the liquid béchamel topping.technique1:1 ratio, 160°F/71°C milk temperature
- ✓Add 15-20% of the reduced braising liquid back into the cheek filling (roughly 75-100ml) to maintain moisture; without it, the shredded meat dries out during the 25-30 minute bake, even under béchamel coverage.ingredient15-20% braising liquid ratio, 25-30 minutes baking
- ✓Simmer the braised cheeks at 190-200°F (88-93°C) for exactly 90 minutes rather than higher heat; at this temperature, collagen converts to gelatin gradually without toughening muscle fibers, yielding silky shred-able meat instead of stringy texture.timing190-200°F/88-93°C, 90 minutes