Slow Cooker Beef Cheeks
These beef cheeks are braised low-and-slow with red wine, vegetables and aromatic herbs. This dinner melts in your mouth with delicious beefy flavors!
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 584kcal
Ingredients
- 3 pounds beef cheeks 4-6 cheeks trimmed of fat (8-12 oz each)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup red wine full-bodied Cabernet, Merlot or similar (see note)
- 1 cup beef stock
- 1 medium onion chopped (about 1 cup)
- 3 cloves garlic minced, or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 medium carrot chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1 celery rib chopped (about 1 cup)
- 2 medium tomatoes chopped (about 1 ½ cups), or canned
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme, or rosemary
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
- Place the beef cheeks on a work surface and pat dry with paper towels.
- Optional (for extra flavor): Place a skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the olive oil and beef cheeks. Fry for 2 minutes until lightly browned. Flip and repeat for the other side.
- Transfer the beef cheeks to the crock pot. Pour the wine and stock into the pan and dislodge off any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Then pour into the crock pot.
- Add all the other ingredients to the crock pot: onions, garlic, carrot, celery, tomatoes, thyme, salt and pepper.
- Seal the lid shut and set the crock pot to cook on Low for 8 hours, or High 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.
Notes
- Wine: Any full-bodied wine such as a Cabernet, Merlot or Bordeaux will do. Basic table wines are suitable but avoid cooking wines sold in supermarkets.
- Oven Method: Follow the recipe above, but put everything into a Dutch oven or heavy ovenproof pot. Cover and cook 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 heat, and then cover and turn to the lowest heat. Simmer for 3 hours, adding more liquid halfway through if needed.
- Make Ahead: You can make them ahead of time and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Alternately, you can freeze for up to 3 months.
- Leftovers: Use them to make delicious beef tacos or sandwiches!
Nutrition
Serving: 6oz | Calories: 584kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 134mg | Sodium: 412mg | Potassium: 804mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2087IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 4mg | Net Carbs: 6g