Braised Beef Cheeks - Best Homemade Recipes (2024)

Making meat delicious depends on both the ingredients you use and the cooking method. A recipe that includes these two features; Braised Beef Cheeks!

Braised Beef Cheeks - Best Homemade Recipes (1)

Yields2 ServingsDifficultyIntermediate
Prep Time35 minsCook Time15 minsTotal Time50 mins

Braised Beef Cheeks

Making meat delicious depends on both the ingredients you use and the cooking method. A recipe that includes these two features; Braised Beef Cheeks!

Beef cheek is a quality meat type that is juicy and tender after cooking, although it takes a little longer to cook. It is both delicious and satisfying with the vegetables you add to the beef cheek, the mashed potatoes you prepare and the sauce you will add on it. When you marinate the meat, you will notice that the flavor reaches the meat more easily and it becomes more tender.

The use of red wine in the recipe is optional. But marinating meat with red wine is very popular and makes your meat tastier. You do not need to prepare meat dishes only for special occasions or for crowded tables. If you live alone, you can prepare this delicious recipe for yourself. You will feel special and valuable, and you will feel pleasant while preparing this dish.

It is not easy to make a meat dish and to keep its consistency and degree of cooking. But if you prepare the ingredients completely and follow the instructions carefully, you can prepare a meat dish that suits your taste.

Braised Beef Cheeks Ingredients

2 large beef cheeks

salt

black pepper

For the sauce

olive oil

4 carrots

4-5 halved shallots

3 chopped celery

½ garlic

½ tube tomato paste

½ bottle of red wine

rosemary

thyme

bay leaves

Potato Mash

500 ml cream

5 tbsp butter

chives

seasoning

potatoes

Instructions

1

Take two large beef cheeks. Removing excess fat or sinuses will allow you to eat softer and more delicious braised beef cheeks. You can also season it by adding salt and black pepper. Leave in the refrigerator uncovered for at least an hour, ideally overnight.

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2

Remove from the refrigerator and pat it lightly. Then sear in a hot pan for about 2.5 minutes on each side until caramelized and golden brown. Remove the beef.

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3

Chop the carrots, shallots, celery and garlic into large chunks.

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5

Once softened, add half a tube of tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Then deglaze with half a bottle of red wine. One of the biggest effects of marination is that you can add different flavors to meat.

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6

Stir to combine, add back to your beef cheeks and cover with beef broth. Bring to a boil, then drop heat to low simmer and add rosemary, thyme, and bay then cover. Let it bubble gently for 4 hours.

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7

Remove the beef, cover with foil and strain the liquid. Reduce this down by half and set aside.

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8

Boil the potatoes until tender, then make a creamy butter slurry. Beat cream, butter, whisk over medium heat until emulsified, then add chives and season.

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9

Mash the potatoes or whisk them to make them smoother, then add the warm cream. Stir until incorporated and season to taste.

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10

Add reduced braising liquid to a pan, then add the beef to warm it up - basting in the sauce before plating.

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11

Spread the creamy mashed potatoes on the base, put the beef cheeks on it, and then pour the sauce. Cover it with finely chopped chives.

Braised Beef Cheeks - Best Homemade Recipes (12)

12

Enjoy your meal!

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Ingredients

2 large beef cheeks

salt

black pepper

For the sauce

olive oil

4 carrots

4-5 halved shallots

3 chopped celery

½ garlic

½ tube tomato paste

½ bottle of red wine

rosemary

thyme

bay leaves

Potato Mash

500 ml cream

5 tbsp butter

chives

seasoning

potatoes

Directions

1

Take two large beef cheeks. Removing excess fat or sinuses will allow you to eat softer and more delicious braised beef cheeks. You can also season it by adding salt and black pepper. Leave in the refrigerator uncovered for at least an hour, ideally overnight.

Braised Beef Cheeks - Best Homemade Recipes (14)

2

Remove from the refrigerator and pat it lightly. Then sear in a hot pan for about 2.5 minutes on each side until caramelized and golden brown. Remove the beef.

Braised Beef Cheeks - Best Homemade Recipes (15)

3

Chop the carrots, shallots, celery and garlic into large chunks.

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4

Saute these chopped vegetables in olive oil for 5 minutes on medium heat.

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5

Once softened, add half a tube of tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Then deglaze with half a bottle of red wine. One of the biggest effects of marination is that you can add different flavors to meat.

Braised Beef Cheeks - Best Homemade Recipes (18)

6

Stir to combine, add back to your beef cheeks and cover with beef broth. Bring to a boil, then drop heat to low simmer and add rosemary, thyme, and bay then cover. Let it bubble gently for 4 hours.

Braised Beef Cheeks - Best Homemade Recipes (19)

7

Remove the beef, cover with foil and strain the liquid. Reduce this down by half and set aside.

Braised Beef Cheeks - Best Homemade Recipes (20)

8

Boil the potatoes until tender, then make a creamy butter slurry. Beat cream, butter, whisk over medium heat until emulsified, then add chives and season.

Braised Beef Cheeks - Best Homemade Recipes (21)

9

Mash the potatoes or whisk them to make them smoother, then add the warm cream. Stir until incorporated and season to taste.

Braised Beef Cheeks - Best Homemade Recipes (22)

10

Add reduced braising liquid to a pan, then add the beef to warm it up - basting in the sauce before plating.

Braised Beef Cheeks - Best Homemade Recipes (23)

11

Spread the creamy mashed potatoes on the base, put the beef cheeks on it, and then pour the sauce. Cover it with finely chopped chives.

Braised Beef Cheeks - Best Homemade Recipes (24)

12

Enjoy your meal!

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Braised Beef Cheeks

IngredientsDirections

Braised Beef Cheeks - Best Homemade Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Can you overcook beef cheeks? ›

Can you overcook beef cheeks? Because beef cheeks are a tough secondary cut with a lot of muscle, they are perfectly suited to slow-cooking, and it would be very hard to overcook them!

What cooking method would you choose when cooking beef cheeks and why? ›

Beef cheek meat is best cooked using slow cooking methods that allow for the breakdown of collagen and connective tissue. Some popular cooking methods include braising, slow roasting, or pressure cooking. These methods ensure that the meat becomes tender and flavorful.

Do you cut up beef cheeks before cooking? ›

If your recipe requires it, cut each beef cheek into smaller pieces. If you'd like, you can enhance the flavor and appearance of the beef cheeks by browning them in a skillet. Place the cheek meat in a pot and add enough water, beef broth, or stock to cover the meat.

Are braised beef cheeks healthy? ›

Beef cheeks are a great lightweight alternative to traditional cuts. Beef cheeks are lower in calories and fat and higher in protein than most popular steaks. Plus, they have more immune-supporting vitamins (vitamin C and B) and 200 percent more iron than traditional cuts.

Does beef get more tender the longer you cook it? ›

Does Beef Get More Tender the Longer You Cook It? Yes and no. It might seem counterintuitive, but tough cuts of beef get more tender with longer cooking times, while tender cuts of beef become more tough the longer you cook them.

What is the difference between beef cheeks and ox cheeks? ›

Ox cheek, also referred to as beef cheek, is a cut of beef that comes from the cheek muscles of a cow. It has as much rich and delicious taste as ox tail so is a great option for stews and casseroles. Its full taste is usually because it's an extremely strong and well-worked muscle over the cow's lifetime.

What are beef cheeks called in the USA? ›

Also known as barbacoa meat, beef cheek meat is great in tacos, quesadillas, burritos and other delicious dishes. What is beef cheek meat? Beef cheeks come from the face of the cow, next to the jaw muscle. Our cheek meat produces a wonderful, melt-in-your-mouth bite packed with traditional flavor.

How many beef cheeks per person? ›

Beef cheeks are generally big in size, so we'd recommend one beef cheek per person. Tip: If your piece has a lot of excess fat or sinew on it, trim this off before you start cooking — it won't cook out and will remain tough.

Why is beef cheek so good? ›

Beef cheeks absorb the flavours of the liquid they are cooked in, resulting in a flavoursome meat with a texture that melts in your mouth like butter.

How to tell when beef cheeks are cooked? ›

Because of that collagen seam I have found the final internal temperature for beef cheeks can often be quite high, around 205f-210f. Be wary when probing for tenderness as often the meat can feel quite tender before that collagen has fully broken down.

Are beef cheeks a cheap cut? ›

While beef cheeks are less popular today than they were in the past, they're one of the best cheap cuts of meat for slow cooking. They feature an ultra-beefy flavor, and cooking it in liquid brings it out fully. Another underappreciated cheap cut of meat is the bavette.

Do beef cheeks taste like steak? ›

Beef cheeks have a rich, beefy flavor and—when properly smoked—a tender texture, similar to short rib. Learn how to make flavorful smoked beef cheeks at home.

What is the closest meat to beef cheek? ›

We believe Beef Cheeks are the undisputed King of all slow cooking / braised beef cuts. That being said, the closest substitutes for Beef Cheeks would be either braised Beef Short Ribs (cooked for an extra-long time) or Beef Oxtail.

Why are my beef cheeks tough? ›

Also called ox cheeks, they are the cheek muscles of the cow. This meat is tough since the cow uses it continually to chew.

How digestible is beef cheek? ›

Firstly, beef cheeks are a natural chew, meaning they are safe and healthy for dogs to eat. They are also highly digestible, making them less likely to cause gastrointestinal issues than rawhide chews.

Why are beef cheeks tough? ›

Beef cheeks, unsurprisingly, come from the facial cheek muscles of the animal. As they come from a working muscle they are tough cut that needs proper cooking to get great results.

How do you know if beef is overcooked? ›

How to Tell Your Steak Is Overcooked? Overcooked steak tends to be solid light gray all the way through, flavorless, dry, and feels like chewing a bundle of tough muscle fibers. It detracts from the sensory experience and can make eating your steak a painstaking and laborious task.

Why are beef cheeks so tender? ›

The surface texture of Beef Cheeks will strike you as being very different from all other beef cuts and is pock marked with tiny connective tissues throughout. All this connective tissue and sinew translates into a uniquely soft mouthfeel once braised in the slow cooker / pressure cooker.

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