Beef Cheek Stew with Red Wine

Beef cheek is tough, suitable for stewing, available at supermarkets. It can be replaced by any cheap and tough cuts, like chuck steak. You can use any dry red wine you like.

Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 180 mins
Yield: 2 to 3 serves

Ingredients:

• 640 gm beef cheek
• salt, to taste
• freshly grated black pepper
• 1½ Tbsp plain flour
• 2 Tbsp oil
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 onion, halved or quartered
• 1 to 2 sprigs carrots, roughly chopped
• 1 stalk celery, roughly chopped
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• ¾ cup red wine (I used Shiraz.)
• 2 cups beef stock, or chicken stock
• 2 to 3 sprigs thyme
• 1 bay leaf

Method:

1. Cut the beef cheek into 3-cm pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Put the beef cheek with plain flour into a plastic bag. Shake and coat the beef well.
2. Heat oil in a heavy-based pot over medium heat. Shake away the excess flour from the beef. Cook the beef until all sides are lightly brown. Remove from the pot and cover to keep warm.
3. In the same pot, heat oil again. Saute the garlic, onion, carrot and celery. Stir to combine. Cook for about 3 minutes, until aromatic. Add the tomato paste. Pour in the red wine. Bring it to boil. Cook and reduce it by half. Toss back the beef. Pour in the stock. Add the thyme and bay leaf. Cover and bring it to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for about 3 hours until the beef is tender. Occasionally, stir to avoid from sticking to the bottom. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

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