Bath Chaps
Tender, cured pig cheeks simmered with aromatics, coated in crisp golden breadcrumbs and served thinly sliced cold.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 120 min
- Total
- 140 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 340 kcal
Equipment
- •Large stockpot
- •Slotted spoon
- •Baking tray
- •Carving knife
- •Greaseproof paper
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 340 kcal
- fat
- 22 g
- carbs
- 12 g
- fibre
- 1 g
- protein
- 24 g
- calories
- 340 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Place the cured pig cheeks into a large stockpot and cover generously with cold water.
- 2
Bring the water to a boil over high heat on the hob, skimming off any white foam.
- 3
Add the quartered onion, chopped carrot, celery stalk, bay leaves, black peppercorns, cloves, and cider vinegar.
- 4
Lower the heat to a gentle simmer, cover with a lid, and cook for two hours until completely tender.
- 5
Lift the cooked chaps from the poaching liquid with a slotted spoon and place them onto a clean board.
- 6
Carefully peel away the thick outer skin and remove any small jawbone pieces while the meat is still warm.
- 7
Brush all sides of each warm cheek evenly with the English mustard.
- 8
Roll the mustard-coated cheeks firmly in the toasted dry breadcrumbs until thoroughly and evenly coated.
- 9
Wrap the breaded chaps tightly in greaseproof paper and chill in the fridge for at least four hours until firm.
- 10
Slice the chilled Bath chaps thinly with a sharp carving knife to serve.
Chef's tips
Soak heavily salted cheeks in cold water for two hours before cooking if they are intensely salt-cured. Pressing the wrapped cheeks beneath a weighted plate in the fridge creates neat, solid rounds that slice cleanly without crumbling.
Ingredient substitutions
- cured pig cheeks → fresh pig cheeks brined overnight in salted water
- English mustard → Dijon mustard
- fine dry breadcrumbs → gluten-free breadcrumbs
Storage
Keep the sliced or whole breaded chaps tightly wrapped in greaseproof paper in the fridge for up to five days.
Reheating
Bath chaps are traditionally eaten cold, but thick slices can be gently fried in a dry pan over low heat for two minutes per side.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Removing the skin after cooling, which causes the skin to stick firmly to the tender meat.
- •Boiling the cheeks too vigorously, which toughens the fat instead of rendering it silky.
- •Slicing the chaps while still warm, which causes the delicate layered meat to fall apart.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Bath Chaps?
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