CHEF'S DELIGHT: Slow cooked beef cheeks

A WORD FROM THE CHEF

If you want a one-pot wonder, a real wholesome Winter warmer, then this is the dish for you.

Let the slow cooker do all the work and the meat will just melt in your mouth.

INGREDIENTS

3-4 beef cheeks

Oil

1/2 celery stick, diced

Two carrots, diced

One large onion, chopped

Two cloves of garlic, chopped

A thyme sprig

A rosemary sprig

Salt & pepper, to season

One litre of red wine

700ml beef stock

METHOD

In a pan, add some oil and brown off or sear your beef on each side and put in the slow cooker.

Add your diced celery, carrot, onion and garlic to the pan and fry for three to four minutes until soft add the sprigs of thyme and rosemary.

Add the wine and allow to boil for about five minutes to reduce then add all this to the beef cheeks and season well and add the beef stock. Place the lid on and cook on high for four hours or low for six hours until the meat is tender.

Remove the meat from the sauce and strain the sauce into a pan and place on a high heat to reduce to thicken the sauce.

Mix two tea spoons of cornflour with a little water and add to the sauce. Once thickened, stir in a knob if butter to make a lovely glossy sauce.

Then serve your beef on top of creamy mash and pour over your sauce.

Top tip

If you don’t have a slow cooker, you can cook in the oven at 160c for two and a half hours or until meat is tender.

ABOUT THE CHEF

Paula Heatley is a mother of four, who loves to cook and bake for her family. Find her recipes on Instagram ‘paulas family kitchen’.