Ingredients
- 2 beef cheeks
- 4 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 onion, diced
- 1/2 bulb of garlic, cut across the middle
- 1 stick celery, chopped
- 1 leek, chopped
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 12 black peppercorns
- 2 Tbsp tomato purée
- 1 bottle red wine
- 1 litres chicken stock
- 1 splash balsamic vinegar
- 1 splash Worcestershire sauce
BRAISED BEEF CHEEKS
Method
- Trim the beef cheeks and remove as much sinew as possible
- Cut each cheek in half
- Season well with salt and pepper
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy-based pan and brown the cheeks on all sides
- Remove and set aside
- Add the vegetables, garlic and a little extra oil if necessary
- Stir around until they turn golden
- Add the thyme and peppercorns and mix everything together
- When all the vegetables are golden, add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes
- Pour in the red wine and stir, scraping up all the sticky bits from the bottom of the pan, then cook until the liquid is reduced and you have a sticky sauce - about 12-14 minutes
- Put the beef cheeks back in the pan and cover with the chicken stock
- Bring to the boil, skim the surface and cover with a circle of greaseproof paper
- Place in the oven and braise the beef in the oven at 150C for 2 hours 30 minutes or until tender
- Once the cheeks are cooked add a splash each of balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire sauce
- Carve the cheeks into smaller portions if necessary
- These are great served with soft parmesan polenta with the juice poured over the top
Comments
Beef cheeks are a cut of meat that I am always on the lookout for and it just happens that Leckies Butcher has a secret stash! They need moisture when cooked and long and slow. The meat should be meltingly tender when consumed!
Serves 8
Thanks to LECKIES BUTCHERS for providing the meat used in the demonstration
If you would like to download a printable version of this recipe, please click here
