Grant Crilly is the Executive Director and cofounder of ChefSteps. Grant is a classically trained chef and, prior to ChefSteps, he worked on the award-winning cookbook series Modernist Cuisine and cooked at various restaurants, including L’Astrance in Paris, Busaba in Mumbai, and Mistral Kitchen in Seattle.

Grant Crilly

In an era of pork belly pizza and bacon brittle ice cream, lesser-known parts of the pig often go unsung. We butchered a whole hog and asked you, our readers, to vote on which cut you’d like to see us prepare. We’re pleased to announce pork jowl as the people’s choice.Pork jowl—or cheek—is deeply rooted in the South, where it is often salted and cured for the winter. We’ve taken the jowl in a different direction by cooking it sous vide for 72 hours. Tough, abundant collagen is transformed into melty, tender gelatin, and the natural flavor of the jowl is released.

Sous Vide Pork Cheek