SERVES 6
Beef cheeks, called joues de boeuf in French, are an inexpensive and often overlooked cut of meat. As a result of the extensive chewing cows do, they are one of the toughest cuts of meat on the cow. When cooked properly, the connective tissue softens and the meat melts in your mouth. The result is a tender and heavenly piece of meat.
INGREDIENTS
2 beef cheeks
1 tsp/5 g sea salt
½ tsp pepper
½ tsp chili powder
2 tbsp/30 g ghee
1 white onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp/30 ml tomato paste (preferably from a jar)
6 tomatoes, chopped, peeled and cored
2 cups/472 ml Beef Broth
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
Rub beef cheeks with salt, pepper and chili powder on both sides. Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add ghee to hot pan. Once ghee is hot, add the beef cheeks and brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Set aside. Add the onion to the pan and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes, then add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomato paste and tomatoes and scrape the pan with a wooden spoon to get up any brown bits. Place browned beef cheeks in the slow cooker. Pour the tomato-onion mixture and beef broth over it. Cook on low heat for 8 hours.
