Slow-cooked Beef Cheeks

Beef

Preheat the oven to 160°C.

Add a dash of oil to a large casserole dish (one that is suitable for stovetop and oven) and place over a medium-high heat. Dust beef cheeks with seasoned flour, place in casserole dish and brown on both sides (do this in batches to avoid overcrowding the dish). Transfer to a plate as you go. 

Lower the heat and add another dash of oil. Add the celery, carrot and onion and cook until soft. Add the garlic, bay leaves, orange rind, ground cumin and allspice and cook for a further one minute.

Return browned beef cheeks to the casserole dish, pour in the red wine and bring to the boil. Pour in the beef stock, bring up to the boil again then cover with a disc of baking paper and a tight fitting lid. Place in the oven and cook for 3-3 ½ hours or until the beef cheeks are almost falling apart. Stir beef cheeks halfway through cooking and check
seasoning as required.
 

To serve

Remove bay leaves and serve beef cheeks with polenta or mashed potato and carrots that have been cooked in a little water with a teaspoon of honey and butter. Garnish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley.
 

Slow cooker option

Preheat slow cooker for 20 minutes. Brown ingredients as per recipe and make the sauce, then transfer to preheated slow cooker and slow cook on low for 8 hours.