Slow-braised beef cheeks are a true delight, transforming a relatively tough cut of meat into an incredibly tender feast that practically falls apart with every bite. Best of all, this gourmet dish requires minimal effort - just let time and a gentle heat do the work. This meal is the epitome of comfort food, especially when served on a pile of creamy mashed potatoes or fluffy white rice.
Did you know that beef cheeks were once considered as offal but these days, thanks to celebrity chefs and fine dining restaurants, their popularity has increased by leaps and bounds. Unfortunately, due to increased demand for this cut of meat, the price has increased accordingly!
However, beef cheeks are still cheaper than rump and sirloin, and in my opinion, they are definitely worth the money. They have a rich, beefy taste and, when cooked properly, are one of the most tender cuts of beef you will ever have the pleasure of eating.
Best way to cook beef cheeks
I find the best way to cook beef cheeks is in a slow cooker, which gives the connective tissue plenty of time to break down and transform into soft succulent meat.
I like to cook the beef cheeks in red wine and stock, along with a mirepoix of onions, carrot and celery. Once cooked, the vegetables are blended with the stock to form the most flavourful gravy, which is poured over the meat for serving.
One thing to remember when cooking with wine is 'if you wouldn't drink it - don't cook with it'. Bad wine won't taste any better as it cooks, and it may even spoil the taste of the finished dish.
If you don't have a slow cooker, don't worry. I've included instructions for cooking this dish in a casserole on the stove, so you've got no excuse for not trying it. And believe me, once you've tried it once, you'll be making it again and again.
Slow-braised beef cheeks is a simple recipe to both prepare and cook:
- There is so much flavour in this cut of meat that you don't need to add many other ingredients. Just a few simple vegetables, thyme and tomato paste for extra flavour and a rich gravy made with beef stock and red wine.
- Once the meal is prepared and in the slow-cooker (or casserole), you can leave it alone until it's cooked, then all you have to do is blend the gravy and serve!
Why not try this recipe for slow cooker oxtail stew? The meat simply falls off the bone!
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Ingredients
The recipe as written will be sufficient for 4 people. You can easily scale the recipe by using a different quantity of beef cheeks. There will be sufficient gravy for at least 8 people, so you don't need to scale that. Leftover gravy can be frozen in cup-size portions and added to soups and stews.
- Beef cheeks - You should allow roughly 150 grams or 5 ounces of beef cheeks per person. You will find that the beef cheeks shrink once cooked.
- Beef stock -it's perfectly fine to make it with a stock cube.
- Onion, carrots and celery - these should be cut quite finely. They are not served as side vegetables, but once cooked, they are blended with the stock to form a thick, rich gravy.
- Garlic - I used a couple of fresh cloves of garlic, but if you want to use garlic from a jar that will be fine.
- Red wine - I used a full-bodied red wine such as Shiraz or Pinotage - you don't need too much, but it does add a great depth of flavour to the gravy. Substitute with non-alcoholic wine or a fruit juice such as cranberry or pomegranate. You could also use extra stock and add 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar.
- Tomato puree - you may know this as tomato paste - adds extra flavour to the gravy.
- Thyme - I like to add a sprig of fresh thyme to the slow cooker and fish it out when the dish has cooked. You could use a teaspoon of dried thyme instead.
- Salt and black pepper - for seasoning.
- Olive oil or other cooking oil for frying.
**You can find the exact ingredient measurements for making these slow braised beef cheeks on the printable recipe card at the end of this post.**
Instructions
Step 1: Heat the oil in a frying pan and stir the onions over moderate heat for 3 to 4 minutes until they start to turn translucent.
Step 2: Add the chopped garlic, carrots and celery and continue to stir over moderate heat for another 3 to 4 minutes.
Step 3: Transfer the softened vegetable to the slow cooker.
Step 4: Season the meat on both sides lightly with salt and black pepper and fry on high heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side to sear the outside.
Step 5: Lay the browned beef cheeks on the vegetables in the slow cooker.
Step 6: Combine the stock, red wine and tomato paste and pour it over the meat. Lay springs of thyme on top of the meat.
Step 7: Cover the slow cooker with a lid and cook for 7 to 8 hours on low or 5 to 6 hours on high.
Step 8: Transfer the meat to a plate and keep it warm. Remove the sprigs of thyme. Use a stick immersion blender to blend the stock and vegetables until they form a smooth gravy..
Stove top directions
If you don't have a slow cooker, here's how to cook these slow-braised beef cheeks on the hob.
- Soften the onions and other vegetables in a large saute pan or hob-safe casserole dish and transfer them to a plate.
- Brown the beef cheeks as per the recipe instructions.
- Return the vegetables to the pan and place the beef cheeks on top.
- Combine the stock, red wine and tomato paste and pour it over the meat. Lay springs of thyme on top of the meat. Add an extra cup of stock to allow for evaporation.
- Cover the pan or casserole with a tightly fitting lid, turn the heat to low and leave to simmer for 2 to 3 hours or until the meat falls apart when pulled with a fork. The actual time will depend on the thickness of your pieces of beef cheek.
- Check the level of the stock occasionally and add extra if it seems to be running low.
- Once the meat is cooked, blend the gravy according to the recipe instructions and serve.
Tips for a successful outcome
Here are my top tips to ensure your slow-braised beef cheeks always turn out perfectly:
- Don't skip the steps for softening the vegetables and searing the meat. This adds loads of extra flavour to the dish. Also, searing the meat seals the outside and helps the meat juices remain in the meat (where they belong).
- Cut the beef cheeks into equal-size portions so they all cook at the same time. I try to get the pieces of meat into serving-size portions.
- If using fresh thyme, don't forget to remove it before blending the gravy, or you'll end up with bits of stalk in the gravy.
- I like to blend the stock and vegetables until smooth, and the blended vegetables act to thicken the gravy. If you prefer a chunkier gravy, you can skip this step and thicken the stock and vegetables with a slurry made with one or two teaspoons of cornflour mixed with a tablespoon of water.
Serving suggestions
My favourite way to serve beef cheeks is to place each one on a pile of mashed potatoes, with lots of gravy poured over the top. However, beef cheeks are just as tasty served on a pile of rice.
I also like to add extra vegetables on the side. Here are a few suggestions for vegetables that I think go well with beef:
- Minted smashed peas
- Cheesy gem squash
- Braised cabbage with apple and onion
- Buttered cabbage with leeks and mustard seeds
And, of course, nothing is stopping you from simply adding a medley of freshly steamed vegetables on the side.
Equipment
These are the main items of equipment you will need to make slow-roasted beef cheeks:
- Slow cooker - you don't need a huge slow cooker for this recipe. As long as you can fit in the finely chopped vegetables, the pieces of beef and a couple of cups of stock, you will be fine.
- Frying pan - this is used for softening the vegetables and browning the meat.
- Sharp knife and chopping board - for cutting up the vegetables.
- Stick blender - this is optional for blending the vegetables and stock to form the gravy.
FAQ
I haven't tried to freeze them - I tend to cook only the amount I will need for a meal.
However, you may find you have a lot of gravy left over. This can be frozen in plastic bags and added to soups and stews for extra flavour. Leftover gravy can be stored for up to 4 months.
In French cuisine, a classic mirepoix is a combination of carrot, celery and onions, commonly made with one part carrots, one part celery and 2 parts onions. It is used to create a flavourful base for soups and stews. The vegetables are sauteed slowly to allow the flavours to develop.
In Italian cuisine, this is known as a soffritto.
Save for later
If you would like to make these slow braised beef cheeks, why not save the recipe to one of your Pinterest boards so you can find it easily? Just click on the image below.
Alternatively, you can save the recipe by clicking on the floating heart icon on the right-hand side of the screen.
Related recipes
You can find lots of other slow cooker recipes on my slow cooker recipes page. Here are a few you might enjoy:
📋The recipe
Slow-braised beef cheeks
(Click the stars to rate this recipe)
Equipment
- Slow cooker
- Frying Pan
- Spatula
- Sharp Knife
- Chopping Board
Ingredients
- 1¼ pounds / 600 grams beef cheeks
- 1 medium onion peeled and finely chopped
- 1 large carrot peeled and finely chopped
- 1 large stalk celery diced
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and finely chopped
- 1 cup / 240 ml beef stock make with stock cube if necessary
- ½ cup / 120 ml red wine
- 2 tablespoons tomato puree or tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil for frying
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper or to taste
- 1 small bunch fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a frying pan and stir the onions over moderate heat for 3 to 4 minutes until they start to turn translucent.1 medium onion, 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Add the chopped garlic, carrots and celery and continue to stir over moderate heat for another 3 to 4 minutes.1 large carrot, 1 large stalk celery, 3 cloves garlic
- Transfer the softened vegetable to the slow cooker.
- Season the meat lightly on both sides with salt and black pepper and fry on high heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side to sear the outside. Add an extra splash of oil to the pan if necessary.1¼ pounds / 600 grams beef cheeks, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Lay the browned beef cheeks on the vegetables in the slow cooker.
- Combine the stock, red wine and tomato paste and pour it over the meat. Lay springs of thyme on top of the meat.1 cup / 240 ml beef stock, ½ cup / 120 ml red wine, 2 tablespoons tomato puree or tomato paste, 1 small bunch fresh thyme
- Cover the slow cooker with a lid and cook for 7 to 8 hours on low or 5 to 6 hours on high.
- Transfer the meat to a plate and keep it warm. Remove the sprigs of thyme. Use a stick immersion blender to blend the stock and vegetables until they form a smooth gravy..
- Serve the beef cheeks hot, on a pile of mashed potatoes and pour over the gravy. Optionally add a side dish of steamed vegetables.
Notes
- Soften the onions and other vegetables in a large saute pan or hob-safe casserole dish and transfer them to a plate.
- Brown the beef cheeks as per the recipe instructions.
- Return the vegetables to the pan and place the beef cheeks on top.
- Combine the stock, red wine and tomato paste and pour it over the meat. Lay springs of thyme on top of the meat. Add an extra cup of stock to allow for evaporation.
- Cover the pan or casserole with a tightly fitting lid, turn the heat to low and leave to simmer for 2 to 3 hours or until the meat falls apart when pulled with a fork. The actual time will depend on the thickness of your pieces of beef cheek.
- Check the level of the stock occasionally and add extra if it seems to be running low.
- Once the meat is cooked, blend the gravy according to the recipe instructions and serve.
- Don't skip the steps for softening the vegetables and searing the meat. This adds loads of extra flavour to the dish. Also, searing the meat seals the outside, and helps the meat juices remain in the meat (where they belong).
- Cut the beef cheeks into equally-size portions so they all finish cooking at the same time. I try to get the pieces of meat into serving-size portions.
- If using fresh thyme, don't forget to remove it before blending the gravy, or you'll end up with bits of stalk in the gravy.
- I like to blend the stock and vegetables until smooth, and the blended vegetables act to thicken the gravy. If you prefer a chunkier gravy, you can skip this step and thicken the stock and vegetables with a slurry made with one or two teaspoons of cornflour mixed with a tablespoon of water.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.
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