Braised Beef Cheeks with Gremolata
Braised Beef Cheeks with Gremolata
Ingredients
For the Braised Beef Cheeks
- 2 1/2 pounds beef cheeks, trimmed of excess silver skin and fat
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
- 8 garlic cloves, whole, peeled
- 2 carrots, chopped (optional)
- 2 celery stalks, chopped (optional)
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup beef stock
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 1 cup Port, Madeira, or Marsala wine, or regular red wine with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar, or to taste
For the Gremolata
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
For Serving
- 4 cups mashed potatoes, prepared
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 300°F. Trim any excess silver skin and fat from the beef cheeks, but keep any trimmed pieces as they will add flavor to the braising liquid.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 300
- 2
Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or oven-safe pot over medium-high heat. Sear the beef cheeks in batches, if necessary, until deeply browned on all sides. Remove the seared beef cheeks and any trimmed pieces from the pot and set aside.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
In the same pot, add the chopped yellow onion and whole garlic cloves. Sauté over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and slightly caramelized, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min
- 4
Season the aromatics with salt and black pepper. If using, add the chopped carrots and celery, coriander seeds, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves to the pot. Sauté for another 3-5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Pour in the beef stock, dry red wine, and Port, Madeira, or Marsala (or regular red wine with sugar). Bring the liquid to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
Return the seared beef cheeks and any trimmed pieces to the pot, ensuring they are mostly submerged in the liquid. Cover the pot tightly with a lid and transfer it to the preheated oven.
⏱️ 3 min
- 7
Braise in the oven for 3 hours, or until the beef cheeks are fork-tender.
⏱️ 180 min•🌡️ 300
- 8
Once cooked, remove the pot from the oven. Let the beef cheeks rest in the braising liquid, covered, for at least 1 hour to allow them to fully absorb the flavors and become even more tender.
⏱️ 60 min
- 9
Carefully remove the beef cheeks from the pot and set them aside. Strain the braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan, discarding the solids. Skim any excess fat from the surface of the liquid.
⏱️ 5 min
- 10
Bring the strained braising liquid to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the liquid by about one-third, until it thickens slightly into a sauce consistency. Season the reduced sauce to taste with maple syrup and sherry vinegar.
⏱️ 10 min
- 11
While the sauce is reducing, prepare the gremolata. In a small bowl, combine the grated garlic, lemon zest, and chopped fresh parsley. Squeeze in some fresh lemon juice and mix well.
⏱️ 5 min
- 12
To serve, spoon a generous portion of mashed potatoes onto a plate. Place a braised beef cheek on top of the mashed potatoes. Ladle the warm reduced sauce over the beef. Finish with a sprinkle of the fresh gremolata.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Braised Beef Cheeks with Gremolata
For the Braised Beef Cheeks
- 2 1/2 pounds beef cheeks, trimmed of excess silver skin and fat
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
- 8 garlic cloves, whole, peeled
- 2 carrots, chopped (optional)
- 2 celery stalks, chopped (optional)
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup beef stock
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 1 cup Port, Madeira, or Marsala wine, or regular red wine with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar, or to taste
For the Gremolata
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
For Serving
- 4 cups mashed potatoes, prepared
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 300°F. Trim any excess silver skin and fat from the beef cheeks, but keep any trimmed pieces as they will add flavor to the braising liquid.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 300 - 2
Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or oven-safe pot over medium-high heat. Sear the beef cheeks in batches, if necessary, until deeply browned on all sides. Remove the seared beef cheeks and any trimmed pieces from the pot and set aside.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
In the same pot, add the chopped yellow onion and whole garlic cloves. Sauté over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and slightly caramelized, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min - 4
Season the aromatics with salt and black pepper. If using, add the chopped carrots and celery, coriander seeds, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves to the pot. Sauté for another 3-5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Pour in the beef stock, dry red wine, and Port, Madeira, or Marsala (or regular red wine with sugar). Bring the liquid to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
Return the seared beef cheeks and any trimmed pieces to the pot, ensuring they are mostly submerged in the liquid. Cover the pot tightly with a lid and transfer it to the preheated oven.
⏱️ 3 min - 7
Braise in the oven for 3 hours, or until the beef cheeks are fork-tender.
⏱️ 180 min•🌡️ 300 - 8
Once cooked, remove the pot from the oven. Let the beef cheeks rest in the braising liquid, covered, for at least 1 hour to allow them to fully absorb the flavors and become even more tender.
⏱️ 60 min - 9
Carefully remove the beef cheeks from the pot and set them aside. Strain the braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan, discarding the solids. Skim any excess fat from the surface of the liquid.
⏱️ 5 min - 10
Bring the strained braising liquid to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the liquid by about one-third, until it thickens slightly into a sauce consistency. Season the reduced sauce to taste with maple syrup and sherry vinegar.
⏱️ 10 min - 11
While the sauce is reducing, prepare the gremolata. In a small bowl, combine the grated garlic, lemon zest, and chopped fresh parsley. Squeeze in some fresh lemon juice and mix well.
⏱️ 5 min - 12
To serve, spoon a generous portion of mashed potatoes onto a plate. Place a braised beef cheek on top of the mashed potatoes. Ladle the warm reduced sauce over the beef. Finish with a sprinkle of the fresh gremolata.
⏱️ 5 min