Jowl at 55 degrees: Braising

Often ungraded at retail — buy on firm white fat and a fresh, sweet smell, not a stamp. The cheek and throat, worked constantly by chewing, so lean muscle and fat end up laced through each other rather than stacked in layers. Cured it becomes guanciale, the fat that makes a carbonara; grilled fresh it is the cut Korean barbecue calls hangjeongsal, and a whole pig yields only a few hundred grams of it.

Look for a marbled cross-section rather than one solid fat seam — the laced pieces are the ones worth the price. Colour, sinew, where the fat sits, and thickness are what you check before you pay. Ask for the thickness that matches “Braising.” Use 55 degrees and 55 when you cook. Salt after you know the job. Do not play with undercooked meat.

At the counter, read the use on Jowl before the photograph. 55 degrees is the internal heat, “Braising” is the dish, and 55 is the stage of the fire. Marbling alone does not split stew from grill. The fat here renders faster than you expect. Take it off while the centre still looks faintly moist and let carry-over finish the job.