Crisp Pork Jowl and Clams with Fennel, Garlic, and Roasted Butternut Squash

Braised and Crisped Pork Jowl

Gentle braising softens the jowl’s connective tissue without drying out the meat. A final sear browns the exterior and renders additional fat before the pork meets the clam broth.

Ingredients

• 1½ lb fresh uncured pork jowl, skin removed
• ¾ tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 cups water, or enough to come halfway up the pork
• 2 tsp ghee

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 300°F. Season the jowl with salt and pepper and place snugly in a small covered baking dish or Dutch oven. Add the bay leaf and enough water to come halfway up the meat.
2. Cover tightly and braise for 2½–3½ hours, turning once, until a skewer slides easily through the meat and connective tissue. It should be tender but still hold together.
3. Lift out the pork and let cool for about 20 minutes, until firm enough to handle. Strain the braising liquid, skim it thoroughly, and reserve ½ cup for the clams.
4. Cut the jowl into roughly 1½-inch pieces and blot very dry. Heat the ghee in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and brown on two or three broad sides, about 6–10 minutes total, lowering the heat if the fat smokes.
5. Transfer to a warm plate. Leave the excess rendered fat behind rather than pouring it into the clam broth.

Notes

• Use fresh jowl rather than guanciale or smoked jowl; cured pork would change both the cooking time and the salt balance.
• The pork can be braised a day ahead and refrigerated in its strained cooking liquid. Lift off the solidified fat, cut the chilled pork, and sear gently enough to heat the centers before browning.

Clams with Fennel, Shallot, and Garlic Broth

Clam liquor supplies the briny counterpoint to the pork. Soft fennel and garlic bring sweetness, while wine and lemon cut through the richness without turning the dish into a heavy sauce.

Ingredients

• 3 lb live littleneck or Manila clams
• 1 medium fennel bulb with tender stalks and fronds
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced into rings
• 8 garlic cloves, peeled and halved lengthwise
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ cup dry white wine
• ½ cup skimmed pork-jowl braising liquid
• 1 tbsp lemon juice, plus more to taste
• to taste freshly ground black pepper and kosher salt

Instructions

1. Scrub the clams under cold running water. Discard cracked clams and any open ones that do not close when tapped. Keep cold until ready to cook.
2. Reserve a loose ½ cup of fennel fronds. Thinly slice the bulb and tender stalks, discarding the tough core and any woody stalk sections.
3. Heat the olive oil in a wide, lidded pot over medium-low heat. Add the fennel, shallots, and garlic. Cook for 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and glossy without deep browning. Add a splash of water if the garlic begins to catch.
4. Add the wine and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the skimmed braising liquid and bring to a lively simmer.
5. Add the clams, cover, and steam for 4–8 minutes, shaking the pot occasionally. Transfer clams to a bowl as they open; discard any that remain closed after cooking.
6. Let any grit settle briefly, then carefully decant the broth and vegetables into a clean pan, leaving sediment behind. Add the crisped pork and simmer gently for 1–2 minutes, keeping some browned surfaces above the liquid.
7. Return the clams just long enough to warm through. Turn off the heat and add the lemon juice, black pepper, and half the reserved fennel fronds. Taste before adding salt; the clam liquor may supply all that is needed.

Notes

• Keep the broth shallow and spoonable rather than reducing it to a salty glaze. If it tastes too concentrated, add a little hot water.
• Reserve the remaining fennel fronds for plating.

Roasted Butternut Squash

Large squash chunks develop browned edges while retaining creamy centers. Their sweetness balances the saline broth and savory pork without needing a sweet glaze.

Ingredients

• 1 medium butternut squash, about 2½ lb whole
• 1½ tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Peel and seed the squash, then cut into 1½-inch chunks.
2. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on a large sheet pan with a flat cut surface facing down and space between the pieces.
3. Roast for 30–40 minutes, turning once after the undersides have browned. The squash is ready when deeply golden in spots and easily pierced with a knife, but not collapsing.

Overall Timing / Workflow

The jowl is the long-lead component; the clams need only a few minutes and should finish last. Roasting the squash while the pork cools keeps the final cooking manageable.

Instructions

1. Start the pork braise 3–4 hours before serving, allowing extra time if the jowl is particularly thick.
2. While it braises, prepare the squash, slice the aromatics, and scrub and refrigerate the clams.
3. When the pork is tender, remove it to cool and raise the oven to 425°F. Skim and reserve the braising liquid, then start roasting the squash.
4. About 25 minutes before serving, soften the fennel, shallots, and garlic. Cut and sear the pork in a separate skillet while the aromatics cook.
5. Steam the clams when the squash is nearly ready. Combine the pork with the broth, return the clams briefly, and finish with lemon and fronds just before serving.

Notes

• Braising the pork the day before shortens serving-day work to about 50 minutes.

Plating

Shallow bowls hold the broth while allowing the pork’s browned surfaces to remain exposed. Keeping the squash to one side preserves its roasted texture.

Instructions

1. Divide the pork, softened fennel, shallots, and garlic among four warm shallow bowls.
2. Nestle the open clams over and around the pork, then spoon a modest pool of broth underneath.
3. Arrange the roasted squash along one side rather than submerging it. Finish with the reserved fresh fennel fronds and serve immediately.

Leftover Path

Separating the shellfish from the pork allows gentler reheating and avoids tough clams. The squash can regain browned edges in a hot oven.

Instructions

1. Remove leftover clam meat from the shells. Refrigerate it with a little broth in a shallow container within 2 hours of cooking; store the pork, remaining broth, and squash separately.
2. Use the clams within 1–2 days and the pork and squash within 3–4 days.
3. Reheat pork gently in the broth until it reaches 165°F. Add leftover clam meat only at the end and heat just until it also reaches 165°F; do not simmer it for an extended period.
4. Reheat squash at 425°F for 10–15 minutes. Serve alongside the reheated pork, or fold it into a next-day pork-and-fennel hash.