SLOW CHEEKY BEEF
BY CALLUM EDGE
INGREDIENTS (SERVES 4)
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4 beef cheeks
1 finely chopped onion
3 finely chopped celery stalks
1 finely chopped carrot
1.5 litres of veal or chicken stock
A handful of fresh thyme
100ml Port
Marinade:
• 300ml red wine
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 star anise
• 1 teaspoon of five spice
METHOD
1. Heat the marinade ingredients and
bring to the boil. Allow to cool and
marinade beef cheeks in the cooled
liquid overnight in a bowl that allows
good coverage.
2. Drain the cheeks from the liquid and
reserve. Pat cheeks dry and seal on
all sides in a hot pan in a bit of your
chosen oil e.g. rapeseed. Remove
cheeks from the pan to rest.
3. Add to the hot pan: onion, celery stalks
and carrot. Caramelise the vegetables.
4. De-glaze pan with the marinade liquid;
add 100ml of port and reduce to half.
Add veal or chicken stock and handful
of fresh thyme to the pan.
5. Bring back to boil. Add to beef cheeks
to cover them. Add vegetables and
cover the tray in 2 layers of foil. Braise
in a 140oC oven for about 3 hours or
until cheeks are pull apart tender.
6. Remove from the oven and allow to
rest for 10 minutes in the liquid.
7. Remove the cheeks from the liquid,
drain the vegetables and spices and
split the sauce in two.
8. Strain vegetables and aromatics from
liquid, reserving liquid and splitting
it in half. For one half of the liquid,
reduce over medium heat to form a
glaze, and use this to coat the cheeks.
For the other half, reduce to sauce
consistency. Sharpen with a dash of
sherry vinegar, a squeeze of lemon
juice and salt.
TO SERVE
Serve with roast potatoes and greens or,
for a hearty winter cuddle, mashed potato
and cabbage. Enjoy!
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