Delicious slow cooked beef cheeks recipe. Slow cooking turns tough beef cheeks into a wonderfully melt-in-your-mouth, rich and flavorful dish.
I’ve been making this slow cooked beef cheeks recipe a lot this winter. They are rich, tasty and comforting. I think they’re even better than pot roast. Which says a lot, because I LOVE pot roast.
How to cook beef cheeks
Beef cheeks are wonderfully flavorful, but they are also lean and very tough. All that chewing the cow does develops some tough muscle tissue! The only way to make them edible – and delicious – is to cook them low and slow and use moist heat.
You can’t, for example, simply roast them or pan fry them. But the process of slow cooking turns tough beef cheeks into a wonderfully melt-in-your-mouth, rich and flavorful dish.
Are beef cheeks healthy?
I believe they are. Beef cheeks are red meat. Although some object to red meat, my own research says that fresh, unprocessed red meat is in fact very nutritious. If you’re concerned with fat (although I doubt you should be), You’ll be happy to know that beef cheeks are quite lean.
How to serve slow cooked beef cheeks
I like to serve them on a bed of mashed cauliflower. It’s the ultimate keto and paleo comfort food! I also add a green vegetable such as roasted asparagus.
What about leftovers?
Leftovers keep well in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. I reheat them, covered, in the microwave on 50% power. Sometimes I shred the leftover meat and use it to top my lunch salad the next day.
More slow cooker recipes you might enjoy
I use my slow cooker a lot, especially in the winter. Some of my favorite slow cooker recipes are oxtail stew, pork carnitas, and Hungarian goulash.
Slow Cooker Beef Cheeks
INGREDIENTS
- 2 large beef cheeks, around 2 lb. raw weight
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
INSTRUCTIONS
- Place the beef cheeks in your slow cooker. Mix the salt and spices in a small bowl and sprinkle the mixture all over the meat. There’s no need to add liquids. The meat will release liquids as it cooks.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours (I cooked for 8 hours). When done, the beef cheeks will smell amazing and the meat will be super tender.
- Serve with the strained cooking liquids for dipping.
- Optional: Make gravy. When done, transfer the meat to a baking dish, cover with foil and place in a warm (150 degrees F) oven. Strain the cooking liquids into a glass measuring cup. Use a spoon to skim off the fat layer that floats to the top.
- Pour the cooking liquids into a medium saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil, then lower heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, until reduced into a rich sauce, about 10 minutes.
- Serve the slow cooked beef cheeks topped with the gravy.
NOTES
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