1tablespooncornstarchmixed 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 the 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.
Video
Notes
Nutrition info is from this USDA entry. Sodium was adjusted to reflect the amount of salt that 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 a small amount of beef broth to the slow cooker pan - no more than ½ cup.
It's difficult to tell precisely how many beef 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.
The leftovers keep well in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them, covered, in the microwave at 50% power.