Braised Beef Cheeks Polenta (Printable)
Tender beef cheeks slow-cooked in red wine paired with creamy Parmesan polenta for an elegant main course.
# What's Needed:
→ Braised Beef Cheeks
01 - 2.5 pounds beef cheeks, trimmed
02 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
03 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
04 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 carrots, diced
06 - 2 celery stalks, diced
07 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
08 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
09 - 2 cups dry red wine
10 - 2 cups beef stock
11 - 2 sprigs fresh thyme
12 - 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
13 - 2 bay leaves
→ Polenta
14 - 4 cups water
15 - 1 1/4 cups coarse cornmeal (polenta)
16 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
17 - 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
18 - Salt, to taste
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C).
02 - Generously season beef cheeks with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large heavy ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Brown beef cheeks on all sides in batches if needed. Remove and set aside.
04 - In the same pot, add chopped onion, diced carrots, and celery. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened. Add minced garlic and cook an additional minute.
05 - Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes until it darkens.
06 - Pour in dry red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the pot. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes to reduce slightly.
07 - Add beef stock, fresh thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Return beef cheeks to the pot, ensuring they are mostly submerged.
08 - Bring contents to a simmer, cover pot, and transfer to the oven. Braise for 2.5 to 3 hours until the meat is tender and easily pierced with a fork.
09 - Toward the end of braising, bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Gradually whisk in coarse cornmeal. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, for 25 to 30 minutes until thick and creamy.
10 - Stir in unsalted butter and grated Parmesan cheese. Season with salt to taste and keep warm.
11 - Remove beef cheeks from the pot, discarding herbs and bay leaves. Optionally, simmer the remaining liquid on the stove to reduce into a sauce.
12 - Plate the beef cheeks on a bed of creamy polenta, spoon over the reduced sauce as desired.
# Tips for Success:
01 -
- The beef cheeks transform into something impossibly tender, almost buttery, after their long braise in the oven.
- That polenta soaks up every bit of the rich sauce, turning simple cornmeal into something you'll scrape from the plate.
- It looks and tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen, but most of the time the oven does the work while you relax.
02 -
- Don't skip the searing step, that crust is the backbone of the sauce's flavor and you can't get it back once you start braising.
- If your polenta starts to spit and bubble like a volcano, lower the heat and stir more often, it needs gentle attention not high heat.
- The beef cheeks are done when they're so tender they almost fall apart as you lift them, if they're still firm give them another 30 minutes in the oven.
03 -
- Use a heavy Dutch oven or enameled cast iron pot, the even heat distribution makes all the difference during the long braise.
- Taste the sauce before serving and adjust with a pinch of salt or a drizzle of good olive oil, small tweaks at the end can elevate the whole dish.
- If the sauce is too thin after braising, don't be shy about reducing it on the stove, a glossy concentrated sauce clings to the meat and polenta beautifully.