Smoked Confit Beef Cheeks
Smoked Confit Beef Cheeks
Ingredients
For the Beef Cheeks
- 3 pounds beef cheeks, trimmed
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 1/4 cup yellow mustard
- 3 pecan wood chunks
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar, for spritzing
For the Beef Tallow Confit
- 2 pounds beef suet fat, finely chopped
Instructions
- 1
Pat the beef cheeks dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, combine the kosher salt and black pepper. Evenly coat the beef cheeks with yellow mustard, using it as a binder. Generously season the beef cheeks on all sides with the salt and pepper mixture.
⏱️ 15 min
- 2
Preheat your smoker to 225°F. Add the pecan wood chunks to the smoker for flavor. Once the smoker is at temperature and producing clean smoke, place the seasoned beef cheeks directly on the grates.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 225
- 3
Smoke the beef cheeks for 4 hours, or until their internal temperature reaches at least 165°F. Every 30 minutes, spritz the beef cheeks with apple cider vinegar to keep them moist and add flavor. At this stage, the beef cheeks will still be tough.
⏱️ 240 min•🌡️ 225
- 4
While the beef cheeks are smoking, prepare the beef tallow. Place the chopped beef suet fat in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over low heat. Slowly render the fat, stirring occasionally, until all the fat has melted and the cracklings are crispy and browned. This can take 1-2 hours.
⏱️ 90 min
- 5
Carefully strain the rendered beef tallow through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth into a heatproof container. Discard the cracklings. Set aside the liquid tallow.
⏱️ 10 min
- 6
Once the beef cheeks have finished smoking, remove them from the smoker. Place the smoked beef cheeks into an oven-safe dish or Dutch oven that is just large enough to hold them snugly. Pour the warm, rendered beef tallow over the beef cheeks, ensuring they are completely submerged.
⏱️ 10 min
- 7
Preheat your oven to 225°F. Cover the dish tightly with a lid or aluminum foil. Place the dish in the preheated oven and confit the beef cheeks for 6 hours. The low and slow cooking in the tallow will tenderize the meat to a gelatinous consistency.
⏱️ 360 min•🌡️ 225
- 8
Carefully remove the dish from the oven. Using tongs, gently lift the confit beef cheeks from the tallow, allowing any excess tallow to drain back into the dish. Serve immediately. The remaining tallow can be strained again and stored for future use.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Smoked Confit Beef Cheeks
Ingredients
For the Beef Cheeks
- 3 pounds beef cheeks, trimmed
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 1/4 cup yellow mustard
- 3 pecan wood chunks
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar, for spritzing
For the Beef Tallow Confit
- 2 pounds beef suet fat, finely chopped
Instructions
- 1
Pat the beef cheeks dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, combine the kosher salt and black pepper. Evenly coat the beef cheeks with yellow mustard, using it as a binder. Generously season the beef cheeks on all sides with the salt and pepper mixture.
⏱️ 15 min - 2
Preheat your smoker to 225°F. Add the pecan wood chunks to the smoker for flavor. Once the smoker is at temperature and producing clean smoke, place the seasoned beef cheeks directly on the grates.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 225 - 3
Smoke the beef cheeks for 4 hours, or until their internal temperature reaches at least 165°F. Every 30 minutes, spritz the beef cheeks with apple cider vinegar to keep them moist and add flavor. At this stage, the beef cheeks will still be tough.
⏱️ 240 min•🌡️ 225 - 4
While the beef cheeks are smoking, prepare the beef tallow. Place the chopped beef suet fat in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over low heat. Slowly render the fat, stirring occasionally, until all the fat has melted and the cracklings are crispy and browned. This can take 1-2 hours.
⏱️ 90 min - 5
Carefully strain the rendered beef tallow through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth into a heatproof container. Discard the cracklings. Set aside the liquid tallow.
⏱️ 10 min - 6
Once the beef cheeks have finished smoking, remove them from the smoker. Place the smoked beef cheeks into an oven-safe dish or Dutch oven that is just large enough to hold them snugly. Pour the warm, rendered beef tallow over the beef cheeks, ensuring they are completely submerged.
⏱️ 10 min - 7
Preheat your oven to 225°F. Cover the dish tightly with a lid or aluminum foil. Place the dish in the preheated oven and confit the beef cheeks for 6 hours. The low and slow cooking in the tallow will tenderize the meat to a gelatinous consistency.
⏱️ 360 min•🌡️ 225 - 8
Carefully remove the dish from the oven. Using tongs, gently lift the confit beef cheeks from the tallow, allowing any excess tallow to drain back into the dish. Serve immediately. The remaining tallow can be strained again and stored for future use.
⏱️ 5 min