Pigs’ Cheeks

“Then, we deliver the animal to our processor. They know what our standards are; how we want things done,” he continues. “So we know the meat we’re cutting in the shop is the same meat we want to eat at home. We wouldn’t sell our customers anything less.”

Now, in their space on West Washington Street on the courthouse square, the possibilities are virtually limitless. Ryan, an avid and talented cook, can barely contain his creative impulses in this new playground. And so, in addition to running the butcher shop and researching unusual cuts and products for an ever-growing customer base, he’s making an amazing array of unique sausages, including tomato-basil chicken, curried chicken, buffalo chicken and pecan-cranberry for the holidays. He’s also making and selling sauces to complement the meats, such as a fresh chimichurri. He set up a curing room over the Labor Day weekend. If a call comes in for pulled pork for a party of a hundred people, the answer is, of course, yes.

Area restaurants are just beginning to discover the offerings from St. Adrian, and more are sure to come knocking. They’re providing ground beef to the Milky Way in Lebanon, and in Zionsville, the Salty Cowboy uses their chorizo and Amore Pizzeria and Ristorante uses their sweet Italian sausage. They plan to do more special events, such as in-store tastings and sausage making classes, after the first of the year.

“We are definitely figuring out the details as we go along, but from the start our objectives were pretty clear,” said Amelia. “We obviously wanted to create a financially stable business to support our family. But it was also important for us to create market opportunities for local farmers, because we both grew up in agricultural families. And we wanted to be able to employ local people—to create jobs in our community.”

They are succeeding on all of those fronts. And after 14 years of marriage, there will be another West in the family by Christmastime.

Said Amelia with a laugh, “St. Adrian has definitely been looking out for us.”

You can find St. Adrian Meats and Sausage at 110 W. Washington St., Lebanon; 765.481.2095; SaintAdrianMeats.com.

Karen Kennedy is an Indianapolis-based food writer with over 25 years’ experience in the hospitality industry in Indiana, Chicago and Vermont. She is the owner of Small Potatoes, a catering and event planning company, and the creator of the Indie Indy Foodie Tours. She, along with her dedicated team of foodies, works to promote independently owned restaurants throughout the Indianapolis area. Pigs’ Cheeks

Recipe courtesy of Ryan West, St. Adrian Meats and Sausage

6–12 pigs’ cheeks (depending on size) 2 tablespoons plain flour, seasoned with salt and black pepper 4 tablespoons olive oil 2 large onions, finely sliced 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 5 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves stripped 1 bay leaf 4 tablespoons runny honey 1 cup white wine 1 cup chicken stock 4 tablespoons whole-grain or Dijontype mustard ¾ cup heavy cream

Dust the pigs’ cheeks in seasoned flour. Heat half the oil in a large, heavy casserole dish or deep cast-iron skillet with a tight-fitting lid. Add cheeks. Cook over medium heat for 2–3 minutes each side, until browned. Remove and set aside. Add onion to pan. Add oil and butter and gently fry for approximately 10 minutes, until soft. Add herbs and honey. Cook over a medium heat until onions are sticky and golden brown.

Pour in wine and deglaze pan. Incorporate stock and return cheeks to pan. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover with lid. Simmer over low heat for 2½ hours, until tender. Remove cheeks. Set aside and keep warm.

Bring sauce to a boil. Add mustard and cream and let bubble 5–10 minutes until you have a rich golden sauce. Return pigs’ cheeks to pan to warm through. Serve immediately. Serve over rice, noodles, mashed potatoes or parsnips and eat up fast as they won’t last.

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Jordan and Clark Cord are a 20-something married couple living in Central Indiana. As food bloggers, most of their time is spent in the kitchen. Their mostly food-related hobbies include grocery shopping, trying and drinking new wines and tirelessly searching for the best Thai food in Indiana.