Braised Beef Cheeks
Braised Beef Cheeks
Ingredients
For the Braised Beef Cheeks
- 3-4 beef cheeks
- as needed salt, for seasoning beef and braising liquid
- 2 carrots, medium, chopped into rough chunks
- 2 stalks celery, chopped into rough chunks
- 1 onion, medium, roughly chopped
- as needed olive oil
- 1 spoonful tomato paste
- 1 bottle red wine
- as needed beef stock/broth, to submerge beef cheeks
- 1 handful fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- several cubes butter, for finishing sauce
- 1 spoonful Dijon mustard, for sauce
For the Creamy Mashed Potatoes
- 3-4 potatoes, medium, peeled and chopped into equal-sized pieces
- as needed chicken broth/stock, to cover potatoes, or water
- 1 knob butter, for cooking potatoes
- several cubes butter, generous amount, for mashed potatoes
- 1 spoonful Dijon mustard, for mashed potatoes
- 1 spoonful crème fraîche or sour cream, for mashed potatoes
For Garnish
- as needed chives, freshly chopped
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C).
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 325
- 2
Unwrap the beef cheeks and place them on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Season generously with salt on all sides.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Chop carrots into rough chunks, wash and chop celery stalks into rough chunks, and peel and roughly chop the onion.
⏱️ 10 min
- 4
Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once hot, carefully place the beef cheeks into the pot. Sear each side until deeply browned and caramelized. Remove the seared beef cheeks from the pot and set aside.
⏱️ 15 min
- 5
Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery to the same pot with the remaining oil and beef drippings. Sauté, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until softened and lightly browned.
⏱️ 10 min
- 6
Stir in a spoonful of tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring to combine with the vegetables.
⏱️ 2 min
- 7
Return the seared beef cheeks to the pot. Pour in the red wine, ensuring it mostly covers the beef. Then, pour in the beef stock/broth until the beef cheeks are submerged.
⏱️ 5 min
- 8
Season the liquid with salt. Add a handful of fresh thyme and one bay leaf to the pot.
⏱️ 2 min
- 9
Bring the liquid to a simmer on the stovetop. Once simmering, cover the Dutch oven with its lid and transfer it to the preheated oven. Braise for 3-4 hours, or until the beef cheeks are fork-tender.
⏱️ 240 min•🌡️ 325
- 10
Once cooked, carefully remove the braised beef cheeks from the pot and set them aside.
⏱️ 2 min
- 11
Strain the braising liquid and vegetables through a sieve into a separate pan, pressing down on the solids to extract all the liquid and flavor. Discard the solids.
⏱️ 5 min
- 12
Place the pan with the strained liquid over medium-high heat and bring it to a vigorous simmer. Allow the sauce to reduce and thicken.
⏱️ 10 min
- 13
Add several cubes of butter and a spoonful of Dijon mustard to the reducing sauce. Stir well until the butter is melted and incorporated, and the sauce has reached a rich, glossy consistency. Continue to simmer until thickened to your desired consistency.
⏱️ 5 min
- 14
While the sauce is reducing, peel and chop the potatoes into roughly equal-sized pieces.
⏱️ 10 min
- 15
Place the chopped potatoes in a large pot. Cover with chicken broth/stock (or water), ensuring the potatoes are fully submerged. Add a knob of butter to the liquid. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are very tender when pierced with a fork.
⏱️ 20 min
- 16
Drain the cooked potatoes completely. Using a potato ricer, rice the hot potatoes directly into a clean pan or bowl.
⏱️ 5 min
- 17
Add several generous cubes of butter, a spoonful of Dijon mustard, and a spoonful of crème fraîche or sour cream to the riced potatoes.
⏱️ 2 min
- 18
Using a spatula or spoon, thoroughly mix all ingredients until the potatoes are smooth, creamy, and well combined.
⏱️ 3 min
- 19
Scoop a generous portion of the creamy mashed potatoes onto a serving plate. Use a spatula or spoon to create a well in the center.
⏱️ 1 min
- 20
Carefully place a braised beef cheek into the well of mashed potatoes.
⏱️ 1 min
- 21
Spoon a generous amount of the rich, reduced sauce over the beef cheek.
⏱️ 1 min
- 22
Sprinkle with freshly chopped chives for color and fresh flavor. Serve immediately and enjoy!
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Braised Beef Cheeks
For the Braised Beef Cheeks
- 3-4 beef cheeks
- as needed salt, for seasoning beef and braising liquid
- 2 carrots, medium, chopped into rough chunks
- 2 stalks celery, chopped into rough chunks
- 1 onion, medium, roughly chopped
- as needed olive oil
- 1 spoonful tomato paste
- 1 bottle red wine
- as needed beef stock/broth, to submerge beef cheeks
- 1 handful fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- several cubes butter, for finishing sauce
- 1 spoonful Dijon mustard, for sauce
For the Creamy Mashed Potatoes
- 3-4 potatoes, medium, peeled and chopped into equal-sized pieces
- as needed chicken broth/stock, to cover potatoes, or water
- 1 knob butter, for cooking potatoes
- several cubes butter, generous amount, for mashed potatoes
- 1 spoonful Dijon mustard, for mashed potatoes
- 1 spoonful crème fraîche or sour cream, for mashed potatoes
For Garnish
- as needed chives, freshly chopped
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C).
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 325 - 2
Unwrap the beef cheeks and place them on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Season generously with salt on all sides.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Chop carrots into rough chunks, wash and chop celery stalks into rough chunks, and peel and roughly chop the onion.
⏱️ 10 min - 4
Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once hot, carefully place the beef cheeks into the pot. Sear each side until deeply browned and caramelized. Remove the seared beef cheeks from the pot and set aside.
⏱️ 15 min - 5
Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery to the same pot with the remaining oil and beef drippings. Sauté, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until softened and lightly browned.
⏱️ 10 min - 6
Stir in a spoonful of tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring to combine with the vegetables.
⏱️ 2 min - 7
Return the seared beef cheeks to the pot. Pour in the red wine, ensuring it mostly covers the beef. Then, pour in the beef stock/broth until the beef cheeks are submerged.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
Season the liquid with salt. Add a handful of fresh thyme and one bay leaf to the pot.
⏱️ 2 min - 9
Bring the liquid to a simmer on the stovetop. Once simmering, cover the Dutch oven with its lid and transfer it to the preheated oven. Braise for 3-4 hours, or until the beef cheeks are fork-tender.
⏱️ 240 min•🌡️ 325 - 10
Once cooked, carefully remove the braised beef cheeks from the pot and set them aside.
⏱️ 2 min - 11
Strain the braising liquid and vegetables through a sieve into a separate pan, pressing down on the solids to extract all the liquid and flavor. Discard the solids.
⏱️ 5 min - 12
Place the pan with the strained liquid over medium-high heat and bring it to a vigorous simmer. Allow the sauce to reduce and thicken.
⏱️ 10 min - 13
Add several cubes of butter and a spoonful of Dijon mustard to the reducing sauce. Stir well until the butter is melted and incorporated, and the sauce has reached a rich, glossy consistency. Continue to simmer until thickened to your desired consistency.
⏱️ 5 min - 14
While the sauce is reducing, peel and chop the potatoes into roughly equal-sized pieces.
⏱️ 10 min - 15
Place the chopped potatoes in a large pot. Cover with chicken broth/stock (or water), ensuring the potatoes are fully submerged. Add a knob of butter to the liquid. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are very tender when pierced with a fork.
⏱️ 20 min - 16
Drain the cooked potatoes completely. Using a potato ricer, rice the hot potatoes directly into a clean pan or bowl.
⏱️ 5 min - 17
Add several generous cubes of butter, a spoonful of Dijon mustard, and a spoonful of crème fraîche or sour cream to the riced potatoes.
⏱️ 2 min - 18
Using a spatula or spoon, thoroughly mix all ingredients until the potatoes are smooth, creamy, and well combined.
⏱️ 3 min - 19
Scoop a generous portion of the creamy mashed potatoes onto a serving plate. Use a spatula or spoon to create a well in the center.
⏱️ 1 min - 20
Carefully place a braised beef cheek into the well of mashed potatoes.
⏱️ 1 min - 21
Spoon a generous amount of the rich, reduced sauce over the beef cheek.
⏱️ 1 min - 22
Sprinkle with freshly chopped chives for color and fresh flavor. Serve immediately and enjoy!
⏱️ 1 min