Braised Beef Cheeks
Braised beef cheeks are best when cooked slowly in stock and wine in the oven until soft and tender. Delicious when served with a creamy buttery mashed potato.
6
25 minutes
2 hours +
150°C
Ingredients
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3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
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50g butter
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1.5kg beef cheeks
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1 large red onion- roughly chopped
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2 stalks celery- finely chopped
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4 large cloves of garlic- roughly chopped
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250ml stock- beef, chicken or vegetable
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500ml red wine
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Splash of brandy- optional
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2 tbsp tomato puree
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Sea salt
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Plenty of freshly ground black pepper
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Bouquet Garni
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Bay leaf, fresh thyme, fresh sage- tied together with string
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Seasoned Flour
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1 heavy tbsp plain flour with salt and black pepper- mixed
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Garnish
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Chopped parsley
Instructions
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Prepare the beef cheeks:
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01 Trim any excess fat off the ox cheeks and place this fat into a large pan. Place over a moderate heat and allow the fat to melt and render down. This will be used shortly. Meanwhile cut each cheek into six even pieces and dust lightly and evenly with the seasoned flour.
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Brown beef cheeks:
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02 Once the fat has completely rendered down, increase the heat, add the oil and knob of butter. Once melted add the ox cheeks to the hot fat, browning all over until dark and golden. Remove the cheeks from the pan and set aside to cool.
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Add remaining ingredients:
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03 Add the chopped onions, celery and garlic to the same pan over a moderate-low heat and sweat down in the residual fat until soft and lightly caramelised. Increase the heat and add the meat back to the pan along with the tomato purée. Mix together so that the ox cheeks and vegetables are coated in the purée and cook out for 2–3 minutes. Add the red wine, splash of brandy, stock and bouquet garni. Bring everything to a gentle simmer.
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Cook:
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04 Cover the pan with a lid and transfer to the oven to cook slowly for a good 2 hours. Discard the bouquet garni before serving.
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Serve:
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05 Delicious garnished with chopped parsley and served with buttery mashed potatoes.
Notes
A useful tip just before serving is once cooked, return to the oven, turn off the heat and leave to sit for 30 minutes for the flavours to improve. If you have an electrical slow cooker, go ahead and use.
