Beef Cheek

Beef cheek is a flavorful cut of meat that’s excellent for slow cooking, to ensure it becomes tender and tasty. Here is the recipe for preparing Italian-style beef cheeks.

Ingredients

• 2 beef cheeks
• 1 onion
• 1 carrot
• 1 stalk of celery
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 500 ml of robust red wine (such as Barolo or Chianti)
• 500 ml of beef broth
• Flour, as needed
• Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
• Salt and pepper, as needed
• Aromatic herbs (rosemary, bay leaf, thyme), as needed

Preparation

1. Clean the beef cheeks by removing any membranes or excess fat. After cleaning them, lightly flour them.

2. In a large casserole dish, heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and brown the cheeks on each side until well-seared. Once browned, remove the cheeks and set them aside.

3. In the same casserole, add the finely chopped onion, carrot, and celery, along with the crushed garlic cloves. Sauté the vegetables until they become soft.

4. Put the beef cheeks back into the casserole with the vegetables and add the red wine. Allow the wine to reduce almost completely; this will concentrate the flavors.

5. Add the beef broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and let it cook for at least 2-3 hours until the meat becomes very tender.

6. Meanwhile, check occasionally during cooking, and if necessary, add more broth to keep the sauce from drying out too much. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

7. Once the meat is ready and the sauce has reached the desired consistency, you can serve it hot with its sauce and a side dish of your choice.

Curiosity

Beef cheek is a cut highly prized in Italian cuisine for its rich flavor and tender consistency after slow cooking. It’s a dish that pairs beautifully with a side of mashed potatoes or a simple risotto, which absorbs the sauce’s flavor well.

Remember to choose a good wine for cooking, because the wine will significantly contribute to the final flavor of the dish. Enjoy your meal!