From small to large, every time we have fish at home, the meat on the fish's face is always the first to be taken, for some reason, the meat on the face is known for its "silkiness." The same applies to beef cheek meat.
Before personally experiencing the allure of beef cheek, I was actually skeptical. I always thought it was mostly a glorified hype created by the media or butchers. Plus, I have a tendency to shy away from popular trends— the more popular something is, the more I tend to avoid it. It might be a bit of a superior attitude, thinking I’m above the trends, but ironically, this self-indulgent feeling has led me to miss out on many wonderful things.
The introduction to beef cheek was a serendipitous event. One evening, my wife and I went to a restaurant for dinner. We had originally ordered a beef short rib sauce with fries, but ten minutes later, the waiter informed us that the short ribs were out of stock. Instead, the chef substituted beef cheek in the dish. At that moment, our desire for fries overshadowed everything else, and without hesitation, we agreed to the change. My curiosity was instantly piqued, and the desire to try it out became a blazing fire. In the end, the beef cheek sauce with fries did not disappoint us. The beef cheek melted in our mouths, creating a striking contrast with the crispy fries, and my heart was immediately captivated.
Since that experience, I’ve been unable to forget the beef cheek and was eager to cook it myself to confirm its qualities. This led me to create a dish of Red Wine Braised Beef Cheeks with Italian Pappardelle. The beef cheek is rich in almost transparent collagen, and after braising for 3 to 4 hours, the meat becomes tender and succulent. The collagen parts dissolve in the mouth, and each bite is infused with the aroma of red wine and the sweetness of vegetables, making the dish exceptionally flavourful. After braising, I suggest tasting one or two pieces directly first. The rest can be used to make beef cheek pappardelle. Enjoying it with a sip of red wine at home, who says you can’t achieve restaurant-quality results in your own kitchen?
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Ingredients (serve 4)
Beef Cheek | 600g |
|---|---|
Carrot | 1 each |
Onion | 1 bulb |
Celery | 150g |
Garlic | 5 cloves |
Chopped Tomato | 1 can / 400g |
Red Wine | 300ml |
Beef Stock | 500ml |
Thyme | few sprigs |
Salt | 1 tsp |
Ground Black Pepper | 1 tsp |
Pappardelle Pasta | 300g |
Parmesan Cheese | 50g |
Steps
1.
Prepare the Ingredients: Peel and chop the onion into chunks. Peel and chop the carrot into chunks. Cut the celery into small pieces. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Trim any sinew from the beef cheeks and cut them into large chunks.
2.
Brown the Beef Cheeks: Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a medium heat on a cast iron pot. Add the beef cheeks and sear them until the surface is golden brown. Remove and set aside.
3.
Sauté Vegetables: In the same pot, add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Sauté for about 2 minutes. Add thyme and stir well.
4.
Add Liquids: Pour in a can of diced tomatoes, red wine, and beef stock. Stir to combine.
5.
Braise the Beef Cheeks: Return the beef cheeks to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 3 to 3.5 hours. Stir occasionally, keeping the lid on to prevent sticking.
6.
Season and Finish: After 3 to 3.5 hours, when about three-quarters of the liquid has reduced, add black pepper and a little salt to taste. Add a small amount of parsley for garnish, stir well, and turn off the heat.
7.
Serve the Beef Cheeks: Take out one piece of beef cheek to enjoy its flavour directly.
8.
Make Beef Cheek Pappardelle: Shred the beef cheek with a fork and then mash it into a meat sauce with the other ingredients. Cook the pappardelle in boiling water for 5 minutes. Once cooked, add it to the beef cheek sauce and heat gently (add a bit of pasta water if too dry), stirring well. Finally, grate some Parmesan cheese over it, mix, and serve.
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