Slow Braised Beef Cheeks and Peppercorn Sauce
Slow Braised Beef Cheeks and Peppercorn Sauce
Ingredients
For the Braised Beef Cheeks
- 1.5 kg beef cheeks
- 1/4 cup plain flour, for dusting
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 onion, large, diced
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery sticks, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 750 ml red wine, 1 bottle
- 750 ml beef stock, approximately, to almost submerge meat
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
For the Peppercorn Sauce
- 1 tablespoon peppercorns, whole
- 60 ml double cream
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
For the Mashed Potatoes
- 1 kg potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 125 ml milk, warm
- 50 g butter
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 160°C (325°F). Pat the beef cheeks thoroughly dry with paper towels. Season them heavily on all sides with salt and pepper. Lightly dust the seasoned beef cheeks with plain flour, ensuring an even coating.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 160
- 2
Place a large, oven-safe pot or Dutch oven over high heat. Add the olive oil. Once hot, sear the beef cheeks in batches, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan, until each piece is deeply golden brown on all sides. Remove the seared beef cheeks from the pot and set them aside.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the butter to the pot. Add the diced onion, chopped carrots, and chopped celery. Sauté, stirring frequently, until the vegetables have softened and any browned bits (fond) from the beef have been scraped up from the bottom of the pot. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes to develop its flavor.
⏱️ 10 min
- 4
Pour in the entire bottle of red wine, scraping the bottom of the pot vigorously to deglaze and incorporate all the flavorful fond. Bring the wine to a simmer and allow it to reduce slightly for about 5 minutes. Return the seared beef cheeks to the pot. Pour in enough beef stock to almost completely submerge the beef cheeks. Add the bay leaves and fresh thyme sprigs.
⏱️ 10 min
- 5
Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. Transfer the pot to the preheated oven and braise for 3 to 4 hours, or until the beef cheeks are incredibly tender and easily pull apart with a fork.
⏱️ 240 min•🌡️ 160
- 6
Once the beef cheeks are tender, carefully remove them from the pot and set aside on a plate, covered loosely with foil to keep warm. Strain the braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a separate saucepan. Press down on the solids in the sieve to extract as much liquid as possible, then discard the solids.
⏱️ 10 min
- 7
Bring the strained braising liquid to a simmer over medium heat. Add the whole peppercorns. Stir in the double cream and Dijon mustard. Continue to simmer and reduce the sauce until it reaches your desired consistency, about 10-15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
⏱️ 15 min
- 8
While the sauce is reducing, prepare the mashed potatoes. Boil the peeled and chopped potatoes in salted water until they are very tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain thoroughly. Mash the cooked potatoes with warm milk and butter until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
⏱️ 20 min
- 9
Serve the slow-braised beef cheeks over a bed of creamy mashed potatoes. Spoon the rich peppercorn sauce generously over the beef and potatoes.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Slow Braised Beef Cheeks and Peppercorn Sauce
For the Braised Beef Cheeks
- 1.5 kg beef cheeks
- 1/4 cup plain flour, for dusting
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 onion, large, diced
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery sticks, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 750 ml red wine, 1 bottle
- 750 ml beef stock, approximately, to almost submerge meat
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
For the Peppercorn Sauce
- 1 tablespoon peppercorns, whole
- 60 ml double cream
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
For the Mashed Potatoes
- 1 kg potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 125 ml milk, warm
- 50 g butter
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 160°C (325°F). Pat the beef cheeks thoroughly dry with paper towels. Season them heavily on all sides with salt and pepper. Lightly dust the seasoned beef cheeks with plain flour, ensuring an even coating.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 160 - 2
Place a large, oven-safe pot or Dutch oven over high heat. Add the olive oil. Once hot, sear the beef cheeks in batches, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan, until each piece is deeply golden brown on all sides. Remove the seared beef cheeks from the pot and set them aside.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the butter to the pot. Add the diced onion, chopped carrots, and chopped celery. Sauté, stirring frequently, until the vegetables have softened and any browned bits (fond) from the beef have been scraped up from the bottom of the pot. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes to develop its flavor.
⏱️ 10 min - 4
Pour in the entire bottle of red wine, scraping the bottom of the pot vigorously to deglaze and incorporate all the flavorful fond. Bring the wine to a simmer and allow it to reduce slightly for about 5 minutes. Return the seared beef cheeks to the pot. Pour in enough beef stock to almost completely submerge the beef cheeks. Add the bay leaves and fresh thyme sprigs.
⏱️ 10 min - 5
Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. Transfer the pot to the preheated oven and braise for 3 to 4 hours, or until the beef cheeks are incredibly tender and easily pull apart with a fork.
⏱️ 240 min•🌡️ 160 - 6
Once the beef cheeks are tender, carefully remove them from the pot and set aside on a plate, covered loosely with foil to keep warm. Strain the braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a separate saucepan. Press down on the solids in the sieve to extract as much liquid as possible, then discard the solids.
⏱️ 10 min - 7
Bring the strained braising liquid to a simmer over medium heat. Add the whole peppercorns. Stir in the double cream and Dijon mustard. Continue to simmer and reduce the sauce until it reaches your desired consistency, about 10-15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
⏱️ 15 min - 8
While the sauce is reducing, prepare the mashed potatoes. Boil the peeled and chopped potatoes in salted water until they are very tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain thoroughly. Mash the cooked potatoes with warm milk and butter until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
⏱️ 20 min - 9
Serve the slow-braised beef cheeks over a bed of creamy mashed potatoes. Spoon the rich peppercorn sauce generously over the beef and potatoes.
⏱️ 5 min