The beef is so tender you can cut it with a spoon! Serve with potato fondant and What are beef cheeks beetroot. If the cheeks are whole, cut in half so you have four pieces of meat.
Place the beef cheeks in a container and add the wine, garlic and thyme. Season with salt and pepper and place in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours but a minimum of 3. Remove the meat and reserve the marinade. Heat the oil in a frying pan and brown the cheeks, one at a time and then place in a casserole dish. Finely chop the onion and fry in the meat juices and then add to the casserole.
Add the marinade and balsamic vinegar to the pan use to deglaze. Bring the mixture to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes to burn off the alcohol. Add to the casserole with the pint of stock and bay leaves. Trim the tops off the beetroot so only an inch remains. Remove once beetroot feels tender to the touch. After 4 hours remove the lid to the casserole and cook for the remaining 2 hours uncovered. Once the beetroot is tender to the touch it is ready.
Remove and allow to cool slightly. For the fondant potatoes peel the potatoes one at a time and cut down into rectangular shapes. Make the potatoes even in size and halve them. Melt the butter over a medium heat in a saucepan. Stand the potatoes in the butter once it is bubbling, leave them to brown for 5-6 minutes without moving them. Then turnover and leave for another 5-6 minutes.
Peel the beetroot, being careful not to burn your fingers. Slice thinly and place on an oven tray and place in the oven to stay warm. Place 10 ladles of the liquid into a frying pan. Cover the meat so it keeps warm. Bring the liquid to the boil and allow to reduce until it is syrupy. Remove the potato fondant from the saucepan and discard the stock. Plate up with the beef, beetroot and sauce.
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Browse our collection of cooking guides. This collection of beef cheek recipes is sure to convert sceptics to the joys of this underrated cut. For a rich, comforting, classic French interpretation, try Pierre Koffmann’s braised beef cheek recipe, cooked in a robust red wine for superb depth of flavour and served with fabulously buttery mash. Paul Foster’s beer-braised beef cheek recipe is a sight to behold, served with onions and girolles for a refined finish.
Take a look at what’s new and get inspired. Can’t see what you’re looking for? Browse our collection of cooking guides. Here’s a dish that will become a slow cooker favourite: ox cheeks slowly braised with vegetables and red wine. It’s the perfect do-it-ahead recipe if you are having friends over.
Tess shows how easy it is to prepare. This dish is one of my slow cooker favourites. I know ox cheek isn’t the easiest ingredient to get hold of, but it is worth trying, if you can. If not, feel free to substitute the meat for shin of beef or venison stewing steak. Here’s a complete guide to beef cuts to help you decide. I served mine with soft buttery polenta. You can also use pre-made mulled wine, instead of basic red wine.
Trim any excess fat off the ox cheeks and place this fat into a large pan. Once the fat has completely rendered down, increase the heat and add the ox cheeks to the hot fat, browning all over until dark and golden. You may need to add a little extra oil if the pan is too dry. Increase the heat and add the meat back to the pan along with the tomato purée. Deglaze the pan with the brandy, scraping the base of the pan to mix in all the caramelised meat and vegetables.
After this time check the meat to ensure the cheeks are very tender, but not falling apart. Tess Ward is a freelance cook, caterer, food writer and budding TV chef. Like I said earlier, I’ve been working real hard at incorporating more offal and organ meats into my diet lately. I have them in the freezer after all, so I might as well use them, right?