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Cook Braised Beef Cheeks Easily and Quickly
With around 276 kcal per 100 gm of it, the beef cheek is a popular option as winter morning food or Friday night’s dinner. Whether you are a fitness freak or a super cool foodie, the braised beef cheek is undoubtedly on your favorite list. Isn’t it?
You can cook it as a rich, spicy delicacy or eat it as a healthy, protein food.
Well, having a bowl of braised beef cheeks sounds yummy. But unfortunately, our pocket does not sometimes allow us to spend the high amount of money that a restaurant asks for the recipe. Also, finding a good restaurant that cooks it deliciously is tough to find. The only secure way to have the delicacy at a reasonable price is to cook it at home.
But, here comes the question. How to cook it efficiently? You, too, after looking at the odds of eating it outside, think of cooking it at home. And like many other foodies, We understand you. Here, we share a few details about cooking braised beef cheeks.
Before we opt for the recipe, let’s first know what beef cheek is.
What are beef cheeks?
Beef cheeks are the flesh cut from the cheek portion of the cows. They use these muscles for chewing their food. When they use the muscles too much, they become too dense. It has become a staple item for stews, appetizers, salad, and other condiments for different recipes.
Please buy it from a trustworthy butcher to ensure that it will be tender after cooking. For a clean look, the butchers trim down the sides of the meat pieces.
A wide range of recipes is available for cooking the meat. But, the most popular ones include braised beef cheeks. Well, even braised beef cheeks have too many different recipes. And among many recipes, people get confused. You may have been confused seeing the wide variety of braised beef cheeks recipes on the internet.
Do not worry anymore. We have come here with the best-braised beef cheeks recipe for you. Want to know more? Keep reading!
The Best Braised Beef Cheeks Recipe on the Plate:
We will discuss the ingredients first. After that, we will move toward the procedure of how to cook.
The Ingredients:
- 5 pounds beef cheeks, trimmed
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- One large onion, chopped
- Two cloves of garlic, chopped
- One carrot, cut into small pieces
- 4 cups beef stock
- 1 cup red wine (optional)
- ⅓ cup mushrooms, dried
- One teaspoon thyme, dried
- Salt as per requirement
You need a microwave oven for the recipe.
How to cook:
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
Step 2: Heat olive oil in a large pan for 1-2 minutes. Add beef cheeks and cook until both sides are brown. Add onion, carrot, and garlic. Cook until they are tender.
Step 3: Pour beef stock and wine into the pan and bring it to a boil. Add mushrooms and thyme.
Step 4: Cover with a tight lid and bake it until the beef is tender.
Step 5: Transfer the baked dish to a plate and serve with your preferred sauce.
So, your braised beef cheeks are ready to be served. Amaze your guests with the exclusive delicacy.
Some More Tips to Cook Delicious Braised Beef Cheeks:
- You can roll the meat into seasoned flour before cooking.
- Serve the dish with creamy mashed potatoes.
- You can use black pepper for more taste.
- You can use one bouquet garni in this recipe. Add it with garlic.
- Oregano can also be used to increase the taste.
Some Frequently Asked Questions:
Before we end today’s discussion on braised beef cheeks recipe, let’s have some commonly asked questions.
Are beef cheeks?
Beef cheeks are indeed the facial cheeks portion of the animals. Professional butchers can trim clean cheek muscles.
Is beef cheek tough or tender?
Beef cheeks are a tough cut of meat. That is why you need an expert hand to trim it. Also, the cooking process is long and slow, so it gets tender. The liquid is added to the recipe to soften the meat.
Is beef cheek hard to cook?
No, not at all. Beef cheeks take time to be cooked. But certainly, it is not hard to cook. All you have to do is follow a proper recipe and cook it for a long time at a slow pace.
How do you remove the silver skin from beef cheeks?
Although a professional butcher is the best person to do the job, you can do it. Slip the blade under the silverskin. Then, hold the skin with your fingertips and run the knife under the skin. Keep the blade away from the meat. Rip off the skin leaving the meat intact.
Are beef cheeks OK for dogs?
Yes, of course. Beef cheeks are good to chew for them. The satisfying and sturdy chew makes a dog happy and content. Also, beef cheeks are easily digestible for them.
Are beef cheeks safer than rawhide?
Yes, they are safer than some commercially produced rawhides. The reason is that beef cheeks are 100% natural, freshly cut from the animals’ cheeks.
What happens if you do not remove the silverskin?
Beef cheeks include silverskin on them. Make sure you remove them before cooking. Otherwise, you may find a leathery layer on the ribs of the meat while cooking. It will take more time to be cooked. Also, the taste will be compromised.
The Takeaway
Got the details for how to cook braised beef cheeks? We have also shared a few commonly asked questions about the beef cheeks. We hope that it helps you to learn more about it. Talking about the recipe, it is long but straightforward.
You have to keep in mind that the beef cheeks must be tender and well-cooked before you serve them. Otherwise, you won’t get the desired taste. Also, it is better to remove the silverskin from the meat before you cook it.
Make sure to purchase the meat from a reliable, professional butcher to ensure the removal of the silverskin.
Do you have any more queries about braised beef cheeks? You can ask in the comments.
Want to cook massaman curry? Click here to learn the recipe.
