Slow-Cooked Beef Cheek
Discover the art of cooking beef cheek meat, an often-overlooked cut that transforms into a tender, flavorful dish when slow-cooked. This recipe guides you step-by-step to create a melt-in-your-mouth experience that impresses guests and elevates comfort food.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 4 lbs beef cheek meat, trimmed of excess fat and silver skin
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided (can substitute with avocado oil for higher smoke point)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (substitute rice flour for gluten-free option)
- 2 medium onions, roughly chopped (about 2 cups)
- 3 medium carrots, chopped into 1-inch pieces (about 1.5 cups)
- 2 stalks celery, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 6 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste (substitute sun-dried tomato puree for deeper flavor)
- 1 cup dry red wine (substitute beef broth for alcohol-free version)
- 3 cups beef stock or broth, preferably low-sodium
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (substitute with red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar)
- 2 teaspoons sea salt (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)
Instructions
Preparation
- Pat the beef cheek meat dry with paper towels, trim excess fat and silver skin, and cut large pieces into 3-inch portions.
- Season the beef cheeks generously with salt and pepper, dust lightly with flour, and rest at room temperature for 15-20 minutes while preparing other ingredients.
Searing
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Brown the beef cheeks deeply on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per side.
- Transfer seared beef cheeks to a plate and continue with remaining pieces.
Aromatic Base
- Add remaining olive oil to the pot, reduce heat to medium, and add onions, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5-7 minutes.
- Add minced garlic and cook for 60 seconds. Then add tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.
Braising Liquid
- Pour in the red wine and scrape up browned bits. Let simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add beef stock, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, and return the beef cheeks to the pot.
Slow Cooking
- Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook on low for 3-3.5 hours, turning once.
Finishing
- Transfer beef cheeks to a serving dish and tent with foil.
- Increase pot heat to medium-high. Simmer sauce uncovered for 15-20 minutes until thickened.
- Stir in balsamic vinegar and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Serving
- Return beef cheeks to sauce to warm through. Serve with creamy mashed potatoes, polenta, or crusty bread.
Notes
Storing cooked beef cheeks can enhance flavor. They can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.