Slow-Braised Beef Cheeks with Stout

Beef Cheeks Slow-Braised with Mushrooms

(serves 4)

2 beef cheeks, trimmed of top lay­er of sinew (peel it off in a sheet), but leave oth­er resid­ual fat and mem­branes as they will cook perfectly)

2 tbsps veg­etable oil

1 white onion, diced

6 cloves gar­lic, minced

2 car­rots, diced

6 large-ish mush­rooms, quar­tered or cut in eighths depend­ing on size

2 tbsps chopped thyme leaves

1 bot­tle Stout

chick­en or veal stock to cover

Slice the beef cheeks in half to make a por­tion per per­son.  In a heavy oven­proof dish with a lid, heat the oil and saute the beef cheeks just briefly on all sides and remove to a dish.  In the remain­ing oil, saute all veg­eta­bles till soft.  Add the thyme, cheeks and the Stout, then add enough chick­en stock for the meat and veg­eta­bles to be com­plete­ly, gen­er­ous­ly cov­ered.  Place in a low oven, 300F/160C, cov­ered.  Cook for at least four hours.  Just before serv­ing, steam and then saute Chante­nay car­rots and green beans.

When beef is done, remove the cheeks to a warm plat­ter and strain sauce through a sieve into a fry­ing pan.  Over high heat, reduce the sauce till the desired thick­ness.  Serve beef and veg­eta­bles with noo­dles or mashed pota­toes, and spoon some sauce over.  Pro­vide the rest of the sauce in a warm sauce­boat at table.