Beef Cheeks Recipes

BRAISED BEEF CHEEKS

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in an ovenproof 6-quart wide heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. While oil is heating, pat beef cheeks dry and season with salt and pepper. Brown beef, without crowding, on all sides, about 20 minutes total, and transfer with tongs to a bowl. Pour off fat from pot, then add remaining 2 tablespoons oil and cook onion, carrot, and celery over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Stir cocoa powder into vegetable mixture, then add wine and scrape up any brown bits. Increase heat to high and boil until liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
• Return cheeks (with any juices) to pot and add tomatoes with juice, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then braise, covered, in middle of oven until very tender, about 3 hours.

BRAISED BEEF CHEEKS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C).
• Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add beef in batches and cook until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Add onion and carrot; cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• Pour beef stock and wine into the Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Stir in porcini mushrooms, bouillon cubes, thyme, and bay leaves. Lay a piece of parchment paper over the surface. Cover with a tight lid.
• Bake in the preheated oven until beef is very tender, 5 to 6 hours.
• Transfer beef to a plate. Discard bay leaves. Blend cooking liquid with an immersion blender to make a smooth sauce. Serve beef with sauce.

BEEF CHEEKS

Steps:

• Finely dice the celery. Peel and finely dice the horseradish, carrot, onion, ginger and garlic. Trim the lemongrass, halve crosswise and split through the stalk. Divide the lemongrass, thyme and sage into 2 piles and tie up.
• Cut the beef cheeks in half lengthwise and sprinkle with salt and pepper and cumin.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a 6-quart nonreactive Dutch oven and brown the cheeks in batches, about 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Remove the cheeks to a bowl as they brown.
• Heat the remaining 5 tablespoons of oil in drippings and add the celery, horseradish, carrot and onion. Cover and cook until soft but not browned, about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté for 3 minutes, until softened. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in the tamarind paste and chutney and then blend in the wine and Madeira. Add the herb bundles.
• Heat the stock to boiling and simmer 5 minutes. Add the cheeks, cover and simmer over low heat until tender, about 3 hours.
• Remove the cheeks to a bowl and boil the sauce to reduce to 3 cups. (This takes about 1 hour.)
• Slice the cheeks and cover with sauce. Serve.