BEEF CHEEK & POLENTA

Braised beef cheek is a rich, fork tender cut from the facial muscles of cattle that becomes meltingly soft after long, slow cooking in a flavourful liquid, usually wine, stock and aromatic vegetables, allowing the collagen to break down into glossy, unctuous gelatin. Its deep beefy taste and luxurious texture make it a favourite for hearty winter dishes and restaurant tasting menus. Traditionally a peasant cut across many cuisines (notably French and Italian where it's called joue de boeuf or guancia), beef cheek has roots in nose to tail cooking traditions that value flavourful, inexpensive cuts and has been embraced worldwide by chefs and home cooks seeking soulful, economical comfort food.

Polenta is a creamy, comforting dish made from coarsely ground cornmeal cooked with water or stock until it thickens into a porridge like consistency. It can be served soft and spoonable or cooled, sliced and grilled or fried, think corn’s cosy, carb filled alter ego. The best tip to cooking it islow and slow with frequent whisking at the start, add the liquid gradually, and finish with a generous knob of butter and grated cheese for silkiness. It makes the perfect bed for a braised beef cheek to collapse into.

BEEF CHEEK & POLENTA

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BEEF CHEEK & POLENTA 〰️

Time: 3 hours + 20 minutes

Serves: 4

2 beef cheeks (excess fat removed)

1 onion

1 celery stalk

1 carrot

2 cups red wine

1 ltr beef stock

1 small bunch thyme

3 fresh bay leaf

Preheat oven to 150 degrees celcius

  1. Place large pot on medium high heat with a layer of cooking oil. Add in beef and sear hard and brown on both sides (about 3 minutes each side). Whilst beef browns, using a grater, grate onion, carrot and celery.

  2. Remove browned beef and add in onion, celery and carrot and lower heat. Allow alliums to sweat down for 5 minutes before adding red wine to deglaze. Scrape the bottom of the pot with wooden spoon and bring to boil.

  3. Once boil reached add in beef stock, brown beef cheeks, thyme and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer before placing lid on top and place in oven for 2.5 - 3 hours.

  4. Once cooked, remove from oven, remove cheeks from pot and put to the side to rest. Using tongs, remove thyme and bay leaf before blitzing the rest together. Add back to heat on stove and reduce sauce until silky. Pour over the top of cheeks and rest all together for 10 minutes.

Polenta

1 ltr milk

1 cup fine polenta

100gm finely grated parmeson

60gm butter

Pour milk and 1 cup water in pot and bring to a super low simmer on low heat. Rain in the polenta slowly, whisking as you go. Until all the polenta is in. Allow to cook for 8-10 minutes, whisking every now and again until polenta is smooth and not grainy, and thick. Mix through parmesan and butter to finish.

To plate up, spoon on a bed of polenta before placing a beef cheek on top and finish with a drizzle of the sauce. Tear apart with a fork and spoon, no need for a knife.