If you’re looking for a recipe that’s both elegant and comforting, braised beef cheeks are the way to go. Slow-cooked to tender perfection in a rich, flavorful sauce, they’re perfect for a special dinner or a cozy family meal. Here’s everything you need to know to make the perfect braised beef cheeks, including the recipe and ingredients!
Ingredients For the Beef Cheeks: 1.5 kg beef cheeks, trimmed of excess fat and sinew Salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 tbsp olive oil 1 large onion, finely chopped 2 carrots, peeled and diced 2 celery sticks, diced 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 cup (250 ml) red wine (optional, for added depth) 1 cup (250 ml) beef stock (or more as needed) 1 cup (250 ml) tomato passata (or crushed tomatoes) 2-3 sprigs of thyme 2 bay leaves 1 sprig of rosemary For Garnish: Fresh parsley, chopped Mashed potatoes or creamy polenta (for serving) Instructions Season the Beef Cheeks: Pat the beef cheeks dry with paper towels and season them generously with salt and pepper. This step is essential to build flavor from the start. Sear the Beef Cheeks: Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Add the beef cheeks, searing each side until deeply browned (about 4-5 minutes per side). This step adds depth to the dish. Remove the cheeks from the pot and set them aside. Cook the Vegetables: In the same pot, add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5-7 minutes or until the vegetables soften and start to caramelize. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Deglaze with Wine (Optional): Pour in the red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Allow the wine to simmer and reduce by half (about 5 minutes). This step adds a rich depth of flavor, but you can skip it if you prefer. Add the Braising Liquid: Return the beef cheeks to the pot, then pour in the beef stock and tomato passata. The liquid should almost cover the beef cheeks, so add more stock if needed. Nestle the thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves into the pot. Slow-Cook: Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer, then cover the pot and transfer it to a preheated oven at 160°C (320°F). Let the beef cheeks braise in the oven for 3-4 hours, or until they are incredibly tender and can be easily pulled apart with a fork. Check halfway through and add more stock if the sauce is reducing too much. Reduce the Sauce (If Needed): Once the cheeks are cooked, remove them from the pot and set them aside. Simmer the sauce on the stove over medium heat for 10-15 minutes to thicken and intensify. You can season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve: Serve the braised beef cheeks over creamy mashed potatoes or polenta, spooning the rich sauce over the top. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley for a burst of color and freshness. Tips for Perfect Braised Beef Cheeks Patience is Key: Beef cheeks are a tough cut that needs long, slow cooking to become tender and flavorful. Plan for at least 3 hours of braising for the best results. Searing Adds Flavor: Don’t skip the searing step—it caramelizes the beef and adds depth to the final dish. Wine Adds Complexity: If you enjoy a richer, more layered sauce, the red wine is highly recommended. It’s the perfect balance to the beef and tomatoes. Braised beef cheeks are a classic that never disappoints. The melt-in-your-mouth texture and deep flavors make this dish truly unforgettable. Enjoy!
0 Comments
if it Planning a wedding can be rather stressful. There are so many components that create a perfect day, and it requires a lot of time and effort to ensure everything is covered. Venue, catering and photography seem to be the biggest and often most costly items in the wedding planning list. We have good news for you!!!! Here at Simple & Beautiful Catering, we have made booking process simple and stress free.
How does it work? Once you have enquired with us, we get back to you as soon as possible. Depending on a day (weekends are busy with the events and we want to give 100% of our attention to the events we are catering for) thus if you haven't heard from us straightaway, we will be in touch very soon, usually no longer than within 48 hours. Booking process is super quick and easy. Once date is provided, we can check our availability and take it from there. Our Wedding and Events Package include packages for cocktail and seated style catering. Based on preferred catering package, number of estimated guest and venue, we provide a quote. Once approved, $ 500 deposit payment is required to confirm, Few emails later- all booked in. There is nothing else required from us until a month before the wedding when menu selection is due (we will send reminder email) and couple weeks before the big day we require final number of guest and final payment (less deposit) based on final guest number, dietary requirements and timing schedule, which we are happy to assist with. We are more than pleased to assist with the menu recommendations and timing, and have a chat about the wedding, simply give us a call or send an email. We cater from Perth to Augusta and we are so fortunate to be able to cater at some of the most incredible venues around the region. See list below of venues that we regularly cater at and would highly recommend considering if you are planning your wedding. Assembly Yard - Fremantle www.assemblyyard.com.au Bunbury Rowing Club - Bunbury www.bunburyrowingclub.com.au Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre - Bunbury www.bunburyentertainment.com Donnelly River Village - Donnelly River donnellyriver.com.au Dalmore Farm - Bridgetown www.dalmorefarm.com Edith Valley Function Centre - Roelands edithvalley.com.au Fairlawn Estate - Busselton www.fairlawnestate.com.au Lewana Estate - Balingup www.lewanacottages.com Linga Longa Estate - Balingup www.lingalongaestate.com Howard Park Wines - Margaret River www.howardparkwines.com.au/events/weddings Kerem Adventure Park - Bullsbrook www.keremadventurecamp.com.au Maker + Co - Bunbury www.weliketomaker.com Nanga Bush Camp - Dwellingup www.nangabush.com Nedlands Yacht Club - Nedlands www.nyc.org.au Perth City Farm - East Perth www.perthcityfarm.org.au Stonebarn Lodge - Pemberton www.stonebarn.com.au The Aqua Resort - Busselton www.theaquaresort.com.au Yallingup Lodge Spa Retreat - Yallingup yallinguplodge.com.au We recently had the pleasure of creating and presenting an 8 course degustation menu. The ingredients were sourced locally with care and creativity being the theme of the evening. Beautiful earthy flavours, were lifted and paired with delicate acidic additions. The evening was incredibly rewarding for our team, who are always inspired to reach a little further. Amuse Bouche: Slow roasted beetroot, molasses, beetroot confit & five spice sherbet. Course one: Corn chowder, Shaoxing jelly, fresh sweet corn, nigella, sour cream, drunken chicken & roasted sesame.
Course three: Burnt driftwood, saltbush, edible sand, scallop, wakame, truffle foam & lemon zest.
Course six: Foraged mushrooms, sous vide pork, labna, black garlic glass, pumpkin reduction, pork crackle, porcini dust. Course seven: Palate cleanser with grapefruit ice, grapefruit jelly, green tea ice and green tea jelly Course eight: Apple galette, brown butter & honey sauce, clotted cream, honeycomb, walnut praline. In March we had the pleasure of presenting Cambray Cheese - A wonderful local cheese maker - in one of the courses of a 5 course menu at Howard Park Winery. Cambray established in 2005 has become one of Nannups jewels in a the crown of this must see little town in the South West. The unique range, all awarded gold medals, includes soft white-mould cheeses, a traditional Greek style feta, and a variety of matured cheese including the famous Farmhouse Gold, winner of Grand Champion Cheese and Champion Dairy Product at the Perth Royal Show. The pairings selected on the night are below ... So if you are thinking of a little drive down south, then please pop in and pick up some of the gorgeous products available to us all :)
Are you considering what catering to book for your wedding? Food is one of the most important things at your wedding for your guests and there are so many options for catering it can be confusing. We have put together some information that may assist you while planning.
Notes:
INGREDIENTS
INGREDIENTS
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 4 beef cheeks, trimmed of excess fat 1 medium onion, finely chopped 1 medium carrot, finely chopped 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped 1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder 2 cups red wine 1 can whole tomatoes including juice, chopped (3 cups) 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon black pepper METHOD Heat 2 tablespoons oil in an ovenproof heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. While oil is heating, pat beef cheeks dry and season with salt and pepper. Brown beef, without crowding, on all sides, about 20 minutes total, and transfer with tongs to a bowl. Pour off fat from pot, then add remaining 2 tablespoons oil and cook onion, carrot, and celery over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 170°C. Stir cocoa powder into vegetable mixture, then add wine and scrape up any brown bits. Increase heat to high and boil until liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Return cheeks (with any juices) to pot and add tomatoes with juice, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then braise, covered, in middle of oven until very tender, about 3 hours. Serve with creamy Mashed potato & salsa verde! Delish! Simple & Beautiful catering have recently been preparing some delicious "day after" Brunch Baskets. Filled with salads, fruit, sandwiches, nuts and refreshments, our delicious freshly prepared packs will have Mr & Mrs heading to their honeymoon well fed and recovered! This week, we're going to pair up a beautiful local wine with a dish that makes the eyes water, it has such depth of flavour and matching elements... #drool
Our dish to match is a reversed seared rib-eye with hand cut (twice cooked) chips, Bearnaise, Jus and watercress. The wine we plan on quaffing with this delicious meal is a Cullen Mangan Vineyard Merlot Malbec Petit Verdot. "The palate offers a very attractive blend of rich plum, cherry and spice flavours backed by soft tannins. This is a marvelously balanced, fruit driven wine" The thing with steaks with a slightly fattier composition, is that they just bloody well love a flavoursome and complex wine, and this one delivers in spades. bon appetite |
Chef Raymond EricSharing our food adventures! |