Description
This Braised Beef Cheeks recipe is a delightful dish featuring tender meat simmered in a rich sauce made with red wine and vegetables. It’s a perfect comfort food for family gatherings or an easy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- Beef cheeks
- Salt
- Pepper
- Avocado oil
- Onion
- Celery
- Carrots
- Garlic
- Tomato paste
- Beef base
- Red wine
- Beef broth
- Thyme
- Rosemary
- Bay leaves
- Cold butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Trim any thick membrane and excess gristle from the beef cheeks, pat them dry and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat avocado oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and sear the beef cheeks until browned, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer them to a plate once done.
- Lower the heat to medium and add onion, celery, and carrots to the pot. Cook until the vegetables start to soften, about 3 to 4 minutes, stirring as needed.
- Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Add beef base and pour in the red wine, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Simmer until the wine reduces slightly, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Pour in the beef broth and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Nestle the beef cheeks back into the pot and tuck in the thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves.
- Cover with the lid and transfer to the oven, braising until the cheeks are very tender, approximately 3 to 3.5 hours, checking for tenderness at around 3 hours.
- Once tender, transfer the cheeks to a plate.
- Strain the liquid into a saucepan and simmer until slightly thickened. Remove from heat.
- Whisk in cold butter a few cubes at a time until melted and the sauce appears glossy.
- Serve the beef cheeks with the sauce spooned over the top.
Notes
For extra flavor, allow the beef cheeks to marinate for a few hours in red wine before searing.
Leftover beef cheeks can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and make great sandwiches!
Pair with creamy mashed potatoes or crusty bread to soak up the delicious sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 45g
- Cholesterol: 150mg