Delicious Carrillada is a must-try.

Carrillada: Heaven on a Plate

Carrillada de Ternera = Braised beef cheeks

Carrillada Ibérica or Carrillada de Cerdo = Braised pork cheeks

Whether beef cheeks or Iberian pork cheeks, carrillada is a star of Spanish cuisine. The relatively lean, moist cut of meat that comes from the (you guessed it) cheek of the animal is a fantastic cut that is usually served braised in a variety of delicious sauces all around Spain. When properly cooked over a low heat, carrillada absolutely melts in your mouth— you often won’t even need a knife to cut it.

Pork cheeks can be prepared in flavorful sauces, such as garlic, tomato and port wine or a fantastic sauce of white wine, onion and carrot. When made with the high quality Iberian pork, it guarantees they will be the best pork cheeks you have ever tasted.

Beef cheeks have a similar preparation and can often pair with the same sauces. However, some excellent options for beef cheeks are a red wine, onion and pumpkin sauce or a rich sauce of mushrooms, tomato and the famous Pedro Ximénez wine.

If you are planning to visit Madrid, you can arrange a custom tapas tour where we will try Madrid’s best carrillada. Contact us to start planning! And if you can’t make it out with us, don’t worry– you can cook beef cheeks or pork cheeks in the comfort of your kitchen with this fantastic Spanish recipe:

Braised Pork Cheek in Port Wine with Honey

Feature Photo by: arbitrarynoun