Also called
🇺🇸Pork jowl🇲🇽Cachete de cerdo🇦🇷🇪🇸Carrillada de cerdo🇫🇷Joue de porc🇵🇹Bochecha de porco🇧🇷Bochecha suína🇮🇹Guancia di maiale🇩🇪Schweinebäckchen🇮🇹Guanciale↗
Pork jowl is the cheek of the pig, a fatty, well-marbled cut with a silky texture when cured or braised. When cured it becomes guanciale, the Italian cured meat essential to authentic carbonara and amatriciana. In the American South it is simmered with beans and greens. Braised fresh, it becomes extraordinarily tender with a rich, porky flavor.
Names by country
| Country | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸United States | Pork jowl | In the US South often sold smoked as 'hog jowl' and cooked with black-eyed peas |
| 🇬🇧United Kingdom | Pork cheekprimary | |
| 🇲🇽Mexico | Cachete de cerdo | |
| 🇦🇷Argentina | Carrillada de cerdo | |
| 🇫🇷France | Joue de porc | A prized bistro cut in France, typically braised in wine |
| 🇪🇸Spain | Carrillada de cerdo | Carrilladas de cerdo ibérico is a celebrated Spanish dish |
| 🇵🇹Portugal | Bochecha de porco | |
| 🇧🇷Brazil | Bochecha suína | |
| 🇮🇹Italy | Guancia di maiale | Cured into 'guanciale' for carbonara and amatriciana. |
| 🇩🇪Germany | Schweinebäckchen |
Find Pork cheek near you
In the US, this cut is usually sold as Pork jowl — ask your butcher for that. It's most likely to be stocked by a good local butcher.
Find a good local butcher near youOpens Google Maps at your location. Availability varies by shop — call ahead for specialty cuts.
