Slow cooking is the perfect cooking method for beef cheeks. It turns the tough meat into a melt-in-your-mouth, rich and tender delicacy. This is an effortless dish - your slow cooker does all the work.
Just like beef shanks and lamb shoulder chops, beef cheeks are a tough cut of meat. This is not the cut you'd want to quickly sear. But when slow-cooked, they are incredible. They become rich and tender - so tender, you could eat them with a spoon. It's a satisfying entree that my entire family loves.
Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on the ingredients.
Beef cheeks: They're not typically available in U.S. supermarkets. I usually order them online at US Wellness Meats.
To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and ground cumin. You can substitute regular paprika for smoked. Sometimes, I add a pinch of dried thyme.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Mix the salt and spices in a small bowl. Layer the beef cheeks in your slow cooker, sprinkling each layer with part of the spices. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours.
Thicken the cooking liquids: Mix a cornstarch slurry into the liquids, then cover and cook for 30 more minutes on HIGH until the liquids are thickened.
Spoon the pan juices over the cheeks, sprinkle them with parsley, and serve. You can see in the photo below how wonderfully tender the meat is!
Fantastic! I made this today, exactly as per the recipe, with half a cup of bone broth. Could not believe how tender it was. And the recipe is so simple yet so effective.
Heidi
Read more comments
Fantastic! I made this today, exactly as per the recipe, with half a cup of bone broth. Could not believe how tender it was. And the recipe is so simple yet so effective. Recipe Tips
- I don't add liquid to the slow cooker pan before cooking. The meat releases plenty of liquid as it cooks. Adding liquid before cooking could result in the meat boiling instead of braising. However, there's no harm in adding ½ cup of beef broth or water to the slow cooker pan.
- It's difficult to tell how many cheeks this recipe will yield because their size varies. They can be as small as 8 ounces (raw weight) or as large as 16 ounces. Most are around 12 ounces when raw and 6 ounces when cooked. I consider a serving size as one cheek or 6 ounces of cooked meat.
- The amount of cornstarch I use slightly thickens the cooking liquids. If you want them thicker, double the amount of cornstarch and water.
- Storage: You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them, covered, in the microwave at 50% power. Sometimes, I shred the leftover meat and use it to top a salad the next day for lunch. I also like to use it in a sandwich wrap.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve this saucy dish on a bed of mashed cauliflower. It's the ultimate comfort food! Another delicious option is cauliflower rice. Both work well to absorb the cooking liquids.
I also add a vegetable such as honey-glazed carrots, caramelized shallots, roasted asparagus, or steamed broccoli. Sometimes, I opt for a simple salad, like arugula salad or cucumber tomato salad. These work well to balance out the richness of the meat.
Recipe Card
Slow Cooked Beef Cheeks
Video
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or 1 teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 4 pounds beef cheeks - 6-8 cheeks
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch - mixed with 1 tablespoon of cold water
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix the kosher salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and ground cumin.
- Layer the cheeks in a 6-quart slow cooker pan, sprinkling each layer with part of the spice mixture. There’s no need to add liquids. The meat will release liquid as it cooks.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours, until the cheeks become very tender (the smell will be amazing!).
- Mix the cornstarch and water to create a cornstarch slurry. Gently mix the slurry into the cooking liquids at the bottom of the slow cooker pan. Cover again and cook on HIGH for 30 minutes.
- Divide the meat between plates, spoon the pan juices on top, and serve.
Notes
- The nutrition info is from this USDA entry. The sodium was adjusted to reflect the amount of salt I use. Calories and carbs were adjusted to account for the cornstarch.
- I don't add any liquid to the slow cooker pan before cooking. The meat releases plenty of liquid as it cooks. However, there's no harm in adding ½ cup of beef broth or water.
- It's difficult to tell how many cheeks this recipe will yield because their size varies. They can be as small as 8 ounces (raw weight) or as large as 16 ounces. Most are around 12 ounces when raw and 6 ounces when cooked. I consider a serving size as one cheek or 6 ounces of cooked meat.
- The amount of cornstarch I use slightly thickens the cooking liquids. If you want them thicker, double the amount of cornstarch and water.
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them, covered, in the microwave at 50% power. Sometimes, I shred the leftover meat and use it to top a salad the next day for lunch.
Nutrition per Serving
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Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
Pat Neill says
Can I brown the cheeks before adding to the slow cooker?
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Pat,
Sure, although I haven't found it to make a noticeable difference.
Roberta Perry says
Excellent!!!!