Red wine braised beef cheeks with glazed onions, smoked bacon and wild mushroom
Author: Andrew Wilkinson
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 4 beef cheeks
- 500ml red wine
- 1 carrot
- 1 onion
- 2 sticks celery
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 black peppercorns
- Sprig thyme
- Generous knob beef dripping or duck fat
- 1tbsp tomato purée
- 500ml chicken stock
- 500ml beef stock
- For the garnish:
- 30g butter
- 12 button shallots, chopped
- 200g smoked bacon, chopped into pieces
- Handful wild mushrooms (Matthew Hall recommends chanterelles for their fruity flavour)
- Selection of cavolo nero
- Chopped parsley
Method
- In advance, remove the sinew and excess fat from the beef and place in a dish. Pour over the red wine and leave to marinate for 24 hours.
- Peel and dice the vegetables and place in a bowl with the peeled and chopped garlic, bay leaf, peppercorns and thyme.
- Remove the beef cheeks from the marinade and pat dry with a paper towel. Keep the marinade to one side.
- Heat beef dripping or duck fat in a pan and add the beef cheeks. Caramelise for 10-15 mins over a medium heat and then set the meat to one side. Put the vegetables in the same pan and slowly caramelise. Add the tomato purée and cook for 10-15 mins.
- Deglaze the pan with the red wine you used for the marinade and reduce by two thirds. Add the beef cheeks to the pan, and cover with the beef and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and cover with a lid.
- Place in a preheated oven at 95C/Gas ¼ and cook for 12 hours. Take the meat out and allow to rest for 1-2 hours.
- Strain the sauce and reduce to a nice consistency.
- Put 30g butter in a clean pan and once it foams, add the shallots and smoked bacon. When the onions are soft, add the wild mushrooms and season. Finish with cavalo nero and chopped parsley, and serve.
