Recipe: Slow Cooked Beef Cheeks

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsps olive oil
• 600g (4) beef cheeks or gravy beef or osso bucco
• 1 onion, roughly diced
• 2-3 celery stalks with leaves, roughly diced
• 1 large carrot, roughly diced
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 6 stems fresh thyme
• 4 bay leaves
• 250ml beef stock
• 500ml red wine (I used Cabernet Merlot)
• salt and pepper for seasoning the beef cheeks

Method:

• Cut any membrane off the beef cheeks, pat dry and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat 2 tbsps olive oil in fry pan on high heat.  Sear the beef cheeks on each side until browned and remove to plate.  Work in batches so as to not over crowd your pan.
• Turn heat down to medium-high and heat 1 tbsp olive oil.  Add garlic, onion, carrot and celery and saute for 4-6 mins.
• Pour the onion mixture into the bottom of the slow cooker and place browned beef cheeks on top.
• Pour the red wine into the fry pan to deglaze and then pour into slow cooker.  Add all other ingredients and cook on low for 8 hours.
• Carefully remove beef cheeks from slow cooker to a plate.  Remove thyme stems and bay leaves.  Using a stick blender, puree the liquid into a smooth sauce.
• Serve with cauliflower mash and a sprinkle of parsley.