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These beef cheeks are braised low-and-slow with red wine, vegetables and effluvious herbs. This dinner melts in your oral cavity with delicious beefy flavors, and information technology's easy to make in the wearisome cooker, oven or stovetop!

Braised beef on a bed of mashed potatoes with Brussel sprouts

Venture off the browbeaten path with this beef cheeks recipe. This bottom-known cut is inexpensive and easy to prepare, with the meat condign meltingly tender and arresting flavors equally it cooks.

Beefiness cheeks are popular in Europe, where they appear on menus in upscale bistros and restaurants. The flavors are rich and complex, resembling that of a pot roast or stew.

Beef Cheek Meat

Every bit the cow's facial musculus, beef cheeks (as well called ox cheeks) are well-exercised meat that's lean and flavorful although tough also. Appropriately, they are suitable for slow-cooking methods such every bit braising and smoking to tenderize the meat.

Fresh beef cheeks trimmed of fat

This cut is very affordable and weighs six-12 oz apiece, yielding 4-eight oz of cooked meat or enough for 1-2 people depending on appetites. In addition to being a main course, beef cheeks are also used to brand tacos, barbacoa and other dishes.

Note: Since meat counters practise non typically stock beefiness cheeks, it'southward all-time to call your butcher a mean solar day or two ahead to identify an club.

How to Cook Beef Cheeks

The easiest way to cook this cut is braising it low-and-ho-hum in the crock pot, with the passage of fourth dimension making the meat meltingly tender. Merely dark-brown the meat in a hot skillet for flavour and add to the crock pot with all the other ingredients. Cook on "Depression" for 7-viii hours until tender.

Ingredients for braised beef cheeks

Merely that's non the but style to exercise it! Other cooking methods include:

  1. Stove Top: Add the ingredients to a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot. Bring to a low boil, reduce heat to the lowest setting and cook for iii-4 hours until tender.
  2. Oven: Follow the stovetop method but identify in the oven at 300°F for about four hours.
  3. Pressure level Cooker/Instant Pot: Add all the ingredients and cook on High pressure level for 60 minutes followed by a natural pressure release. Remove the meat and thicken the sauce past boiling it down on high oestrus.

Before serving, I recommend degreasing the juices past putting them through a fatty separator. And so drizzle on superlative of the beef for the virtually amazing flavor.

Slow cooked beef with vegetables in a crock pot

When Are They Done?

Beefiness cheeks are ready when they are soft and tender. If they are withal chewy, you need to cook them longer. The expert news is they are difficult to overcook!

What to Serve with Beef Cheeks

Beef cheeks are fabulous served with mashed potatoes, steamed rice or buttered noodles, with cauliflower rice existence a keto option.

You can also add a side vegetable such as broccoli, Brussel sprouts, spinach, carrots or parsnips. Polenta also pairs well.

More than Braised Beef Recipes:

  • Beefiness Stew
  • Mississippi Pot Roast

View all beefiness recipes

Cross-sectional view of of beef cheek meat after slow cooking showing the marbling and tenderness

Slow Cooker Beefiness Cheeks

These beef cheeks are braised low-and-slow with ruby-red wine, vegetables and aromatic herbs. This dinner melts in your oral cavity with delicious bulky flavors!

  • 3 pounds beef cheeks, 4-six cheeks trimmed of fat (8-12 oz each)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • one cup red wine, concentrated Cabernet, Merlot or similar (see note)
  • 1 cup beef stock
  • 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
  • three cloves garlic, minced, or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • one medium carrot, chopped (about 1 loving cup)
  • 1 celery rib, chopped (nearly one cup)
  • 2 medium tomatoes, chopped (nigh ane ½ cups), or canned
  • vi sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon stale thyme, or rosemary
  • one teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • i teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

  • Place the beef cheeks on a work surface and pat dry with paper towels.

  • Optional (for extra flavor): Place a skillet over medium-loftier estrus. When hot, add the olive oil and beefiness cheeks. Fry for 2 minutes until lightly browned. Flip and echo for the other side.

  • Transfer the beef cheeks to the crock pot. Cascade the wine and stock into the pan and dislodge off whatever browned bits with a wooden spoon. And so cascade into the crock pot.

  • Add all the other ingredients to the crock pot: onions, garlic, carrot, celery, tomatoes, thyme, salt and pepper.

  • Seal the chapeau close and set the crock pot to cook on Depression for 8 hours, or Loftier for 5 hours.

  • Discard the thyme sprigs. Optional: pour the cooking liquid into a fat separator to remove accumulated fat.

  • Remove the beef cheeks to a plate and drizzle juices on top to serve.

  • Wine: Whatsoever full-bodied wine such as a Cabernet, Merlot or Bordeaux will exercise. Basic table wines are suitable but avoid cooking wines sold in supermarkets.
  • Oven Method: Follow the recipe to a higher place, but put everything into a Dutch oven or heavy ovenproof pot. Cover and melt in a 300°F oven for 4 hours or until tender.
  • Stovetop Method: Follow the recipe above, but put everything into a heavy-bottomed pot. Bring to a low boil on medium estrus, and so encompass and turn to the everyman heat. Simmer for 3 hours, adding more liquid halfway through if needed.
  • Brand Ahead: You can make them ahead of time and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Alternately, you lot can freeze for upwardly to 3 months.
  • Leftovers: Apply them to make succulent beefiness tacos or sandwiches!

Diet Facts

Slow Cooker Beef Cheeks

Amount Per Serving (6 oz)

Calories 584 Calories from Fat 387

% Daily Value*

Fat 43g 66%

Saturated Fat 15g 75%

Cholesterol 134mg 45%

Sodium 412mg 17%

Potassium 804mg 23%

Carbohydrates 7g two%

Fiber 1g iv%

Sugar 3g 3%

Protein 34g 68%

Vitamin A 2087IU 42%

Vitamin C 10mg 12%

Calcium 59mg six%

Fe 4mg 22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Please read our nutrition disclaimer.

Did you make this recipe? Leave a annotate beneath!

Recipe Equipment:

  • Crock Pot (6-quart)
  • Dutch Oven (enameled pot)
  • Fat Separator

Braised Beef Cheeks in the slow cooker melt in your mouth with juicy beef flavors. Serve them on top of mashed potatoes for a delicious dinner that everyone will love, kids included. #beefcheeks