Melt-in-your-mouth Beef Cheeks

I first heard of the cut "beef cheeks" from watching the MasterChef competition quite a while back and had always been curious about it with all the ravings by the judges on how tender & delicious it is after being slow-cooked for few hours! Of course not being able to easily see it selling at most butchers fueled my curiousity even more! Alas, one fine day, I finally got my chance to try cook it when this cut of beef came on sale, surprisingly of all, in ALDI stores!

Beef Cheeks - which part of a cow does it come from? ... The cheeks, of course! ;P The facial muscle on either side of the cheekbones of a cow. This cut may be tough, lean and finely grained, but the time and effort to braised or slow-cooked will reap a very tender, melt-in-your-mouth dish.

Notes:

1. Cooking time in oven depends on cut size of beef cheeks and tenderness preference.
2. Optional to line heavy/cast iron pot with aluminium foil before placing vegetables, meat & simmering liquid into the pot so it will be easier to wash/clean.
3. Can be served whole meat pieces with rice/potatoes or easily tear meat into fine slivers (like a ragu) to be served on pasta/gnocchi.

melt-in-your-mouth beef cheeks

Ingredients:

• 2 medium carrots
• 1 stalk leek
• 3 stalks celery
• 1 brown onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 kg beef cheeks
• 1 cup red wine
• 2 tbsp whole grain mustard
• 1 tsp mixed herbs
• 2-3 cups beef stock
• salt & pepper

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200C.
2. Wash & roughly dice vegetables, and place all inside the bottom of an oven-proof heavy pot (I used a cast iron pot) with lid. Set aside.
3. Heat olive oil and butter in a deep frying pan.
4. Add the beef cheeks, browning the pieces all over.
5. Transfer browned pieces on top of the vegetables in the heavy pot. Set aside.
6. In the same deep frying pan, pour in red wine to deglaze the pan, keeping all the caramelized beef juices.
7. Add the mustard, herbs and beef stock. Bring to a boil.
8. Season with salt and pepper.
9. Pour sauce into the heavy pot, making sure all the meat pieces are submerged in the sauce.
10. Cover with lid and place into oven, cook for at least 1.5 hours or more, depending on cut size and tenderness preference of meat.

^_^