When people go to the market, they usually focus mainly on pork belly, pork shoulder, pork loin, and spare ribs, but often overlook a valuable part of the pig.
In fact, on the pig’s body, there is a part that is only about 200g in size, but it is the most delicious and nutritious meat, with a special flavor, as precious as ginseng. That is the cheek meat.

What to consider when buying cheek meat?
This cheek meat is very rare, so you need to go to the market early or even a bit earlier to place an order. When buying, there are some important things to note:
Make sure the surface of the cheek meat is dry and not wet. If you touch the meat and feel moisture, it may have been pumped with water or frozen.
Check the color of the meat. Fresh cheek meat is bright red and shows no signs of darkening.
Cheek meat should be odorless, not watery, and the elasticity should be maintained.
What are some delicious ways to cook cheek meat?
Braised Cheek Meat with Quail Eggs
To make this dish, you apply a similar recipe to regular braised meat. After buying the meat, you wash it with salt water, and boil the quail eggs and peel them. Before braising, you marinate the meat with fish sauce, salt, sugar, MSG, purple onion, and chopped chili.
When braising, you add the colored water, then briefly stir-fry the marinated meat with coconut water to make the meat naturally sweet. Finally, add the quail eggs and it’s done. This braised cheek meat dish is not only less greasy than regular fatty meat but also tender thanks to the combination of tendon and meat.
Stir-Fried Cheek Meat with Vegetables
Many people also stir-fry cheek meat with vegetables, which has a unique and delicious flavor, similar to beef tenderloin. You can stir-fry cheek meat with vegetables such as bell peppers, green beans, young corn, etc. The sweet, nutritious aroma from fresh vegetables combined with the soft meat fibers guarantees a satisfying dish.
Grilled Cheek Meat
If regular meat is easy to dry out and become tough when grilled, cheek meat absorbs the spices deeply and cooks tenderly. To save preparation time, you can use a packet of marinade for grilled meat. When cooking, you can grill it with various vegetables to make a small BBQ party.