Red Wine Braised Beef Cheeks

Braised beef is always a delight. Perfect for the wintry months, and great in summer as well, it’s a wonderful and surprisingly simple way to cook tender, delicious beef.

This dish is the perfect introduction to braising, and a must for experienced beef maestros as well. And with a cut of Teys Australia’s beef cheeks, you simply can’t go wrong.

Ingredients

• 4 175g beef cheeks, trimmed
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 stick of celery, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, sliced
• 4 sprigs of thyme
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 cup beef stock

Method

1. Preheat oven to 170°C. Place your pan over moderately high heat and cook the beef cheeks in the olive oil for 3 minutes, or until nicely coloured, on each side. Transfer to a plate.
2. Add onion, celery, carrot and garlic to the pan and cook until lightly coloured.
3. Add beef cheeks, thyme, wine and stock and bring to the boil. Cover and place in the oven for 2-2½ hours or until the cheeks are very tender.
4. Season with salt and pepper and serve with cauliflower puree and a kale salad.

Tips

• Beef cuts are tough because of their high volume of collagen, which needs to be melted if the beef is going to be tender. Therefore, the key to effectively braising any meat is liquid. Make sure to tightly seal the lid of the pot you’re cooking your beef in. This way, the liquid won’t evaporate and the beef will be as tender and moist as possible.
• The best cuts of beef to braise include those from the chuck, shank, brisket, round and flank. Choose carefully for the best possible braising experience.
• If you ask us, these cauliflower puree and kale salad recipes are some of the best you’ll find.