Slow Cooked Beef Cheeks - Healthy Recipes Blog (2024)

Ingredients

The list of ingredients needed to make this recipe is delightfully short. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:

Beef cheeks: I usually order them online at US Wellness Meats.

To season: Kosher salt, Black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and ground cumin.

The detailed instructions for making this recipe are listed in the recipe card below. Here are the basic steps:

Mix the salt and spices in a small bowl. Layer the cheeks in your slow cooker, sprinkling each layer with part of the spices.

Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours.

Thicken the cooking liquids: Mix a cornstarch slurry into the liquids, then cover and cook for 30 more minutes on HIGH until the liquids are thickened.

Spoon the pan juices over the cheeks and sprinkle them with parsley.

Serve. You can see in the photo below how wonderfully tender the meat is!

Expert Tips

• I don't add liquid to the slow cooker pan before cooking. The meat releases plenty of liquid as it cooks. Adding liquid before cooking could result in the meat boiling instead of braising. However, there's no harm in adding a small amount of beef broth to the slow cooker pan. I experimented with adding ½ cup of broth with excellent results.
• It's difficult to tell precisely how many beef cheeks this recipe will yield because their size varies. They can be as small as 8 ounces (raw weight) or as large as 16 ounces. Most are around 12 ounces when raw and 6 ounces when cooked. I consider a serving size as one cheek or 6 ounces of cooked meat.
• The amount of cornstarch I use slightly thickens the cooking liquids. If you want them thicker, double the amount of cornstarch and water.

What are beef cheeks?

Also called ox cheeks, they are the cheek muscles of the cow. This meat is tough since the cow uses it continually to chew. The only proper way to cook it is low and slow, and then it becomes wonderfully rich and tender.

What does beef cheek meat taste like?

Since it's a slow-cooked meat with a deep, rich flavor, you can compare it to other slow-cooked cuts such as oxtails or pot roast.

Why are the cheeks I cooked tough?

Serving Suggestions

I like to serve this saucy dish on a bed of mashed cauliflower. It's the ultimate comfort food! Another excellent option is cauliflower rice. Both work well to absorb the tasty cooking liquids.

I also add a vegetable such as honey-glazed carrots, caramelized shallots, roasted asparagus, or steamed broccoli.

Sometimes, I serve beef cheeks with a simple salad such as arugula salad or cucumber tomato salad.

Storing Leftovers

The leftovers keep well in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. I reheat them, covered, in the microwave at 50% power.

Sometimes, I shred the leftover meat and use it to top a salad the next day for lunch. I also like to use it in a sandwich wrap.

Slow Cooked Beef Cheeks

Slow cooking turns tough beef cheeks into a wonderfully melt-in-your-mouth, rich, flavorful meat.

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 465kcal

Add Your Own Notes

Nutrition per Serving

Serving: 6ounces | Calories: 465kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Sodium: 544mg