You will need a slow cooker or pressure cooker for this recipe. This way you can put it on and leave it to work its magic. If you don’t have one I suggest you invest in one as they make meal prep a whole lot easier but if not then just use your oven and a deep casserole dish. The slower and lower you can cook cheeks the better.
INGREDIENTS
• 1kg beef cheeks
• 2-6 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 large onions, cut roughly
• 4-6 cloves of garlic
• 2 carrots, chopped roughly
• The rind of half an orange, cut into thin strips
• Juice of 1 whole orange
• ½ cup homemade beef broth
• ½ cup red wine (optional) or use water
• 2 large handfuls of pitted olives of your choice
METHOD
Brown the beef cheeks using the olive oil. Use a fry pan or your pressure cooker for this on a high heat. Set them aside once browned. The caramelization on the cheeks is key to getting a strong flavor through your stew so don’t rush this part or crowd the pan and it will be worth the effort. Use a little more oil to soften the onions and garlic. You want them to become translucent and soft, not browned so keep the temp low here and give them a few more minutes than you normally would. Again, this will add to the depth of flavor.
Throw in the carrots and give them 5 minutes before adding beef cheeks and any juice back into the cooker, or transferring all ingredients to the slow cooker or oven tray. Add in orange rind, juice, broth and wine. Ensure there is enough liquid to cover all the cheeks but don’t flood them (especially if using water) as this will dilute the flavor. Put the pressure cooker on MEAT and PRESSURE for 1 hour.
Check after the hour and see if the beef cheeks are beginning to fall apart. They will likely need another 45 minutes on the same setting. Once they are soft as butter, remove the cheeks and put the cooker on high again to start reducing the sauce. This will take around 15 minutes, stirring as needed. If you are using a slow cooker, set it on low and leave it for 4-6 hours. Once the cheeks are cooked, remove them and pour the liquid into a saucepan to reduce. If you are using the oven, you will need to give the cheeks 6-8 hours on 165°C. Check them every few hours, ensuring the liquid doesn’t dry up. Once they’re falling apart remove them and pour the liquid into a saucepan to reduce.
When ready to dish up, put everything back in the pot, add the olives, and serve hot with sweet tatie mash and greens.
