Beef cheeks are one of the most underrated cuts of meat you will ever cook, and once you try them this way, you’ll understand why I love this dish so much.
This is a classic slow-cooked recipe inspired by Northern Italy, especially the Piemonte region, where rich sauces, butter, and long cooking times are part of everyday cooking. It’s the kind of dish that turns simple ingredients into something truly special, and it’s all about patience and flavour.
I couldn’t wait to share this recipe with you. I even called my mum and asked her to speak to a family friend so I could make sure I was doing this the proper way, the way it’s meant to be cooked before sharing it with you here.
Beef cheeks are probably not the first cut you think of when choosing beef. They come from a hard-working muscle, which means they need time to cook, but that’s exactly where the flavour comes from. Cook them low and slow in red wine and they soak up every bit of the sauce, becoming so tender you won’t need a knife, or even a fork.
This is comfort food at its best. A budget cut transformed into a dish you’d expect to see on a fine dining menu, except you’re making it at home, with quality ingredients and no shortcuts. If you love beef that falls apart, melts in your mouth, and fills the kitchen with incredible aroma, this recipe is for you.
Watch How to Make Slow Cooked Beef Cheeks in Red Wine Sauce
This Is The Most Tender Beef Cheeks Dish You’ll Ever Make
Vincenzo’s Plate on How to Make Beef Cheeks in Red Wine Sauce
Trim the Fat
We’re using top-quality beef cheeks, and if you can get them from a good butcher, even better. The ones I use from Tasmania don’t have too much excess fat, but if your cut does, ask your butcher to trim it for you.
Butter is Better
This dish is all about richness, and that’s why we use butter. You can also use lard if you have it. Butter and lard melt into the meat and give it that deep, delicious flavour. Extra virgin olive oil doesn’t belong here.
Time for Wine
In Italy, this beef cheeks dish is traditionally cooked with Barolo, especially in the north. If you can’t find it, that’s totally fine. Just choose a bold, rich red wine. The wine needs to stand up to long cooking and strong flavor.
Skin On Carrots
We use the carrots with the skin on, so washing them well is important. The skin adds flavour and body to the sauce.
Use a Pan That Can Handle the Job
I’m using a casserole dish in the video so you can see what’s going on, and it works perfectly. A Dutch oven is even better. Whichever pan you choose, make sure it has a lid. This beef cheeks dish needs to stay covered to cook low and slow.
Herb it Your Way
My mum’s friend doesn’t use herbs at all except for rosemary, and her version tastes incredible. I like to add thyme and oregano for extra flavor and aroma. Rosemary works beautifully, and bay leaves are great too, so use as much as you like.
Vegetable Stock Only
Don’t use mushroom stock, fish stock, or meat stock here. Vegetable stock is what you want. It keeps the sauce balanced and lets the beef and wine shine without overpowering everything else.
Passata or Paste?
If you don’t want to use passata, you can use tomato concentrate instead. Just add two tablespoons.
Time Is the Key
This dish needs time. Three and a half hours is the minimum, but if you can cook it longer, even better. Up to six hours gives you beef cheeks that fall apart effortlessly.
Potatoes Know When They’re Ready
You can use any potatoes you like for the mash. You’ll know they’re ready when a fork or toothpick goes through easily. You don’t want them too soft, but definitely not al dente. Creamy, smooth, and silky is the goal.
How to Serve Beef Cheeks
You can enjoy beef cheeks just as they are, or tuck them into a panino if you’re in the mood for something more casual. They’re that good either way.
I love serving them with velvety mashed potatoes. Soft, smooth, and comforting, they’re the perfect base for the rich sauce and tender meat.
Start with a flat plate and add a generous dollop of mashed potato in the centre. Use the back of a spoon to gently swirl it into a nest. Place the beef cheeks on top, either whole or gently cut, letting them sit right in the middle of the potato. Add the vegetables neatly to the side.
Finish by spooning the red wine sauce over the meat, then drizzle a little over the mashed potato as well.
Beef Cheeks in Red Wine Sauce
Print Recipe
Equipment
- Dutch oven or casserole pan
- Metal spoon
- knife
- Pot for boiling potatoes
- Strainer
- Potato ricer or masher
- bowl
- Whisk
- Sieve
Ingredients
- 800 g / 28.2 oz beef cheeks
- 150 g / 5.2 oz butter
- 250 ml / 1 cup red wine
- 2 carrots, skin on
- 2 celery sticks
- 1 onion
- 2 – 3 garlic cloves
- 354 ml / 1½ cups vegetable stock
- 250 ml / 1 cup passata
- Bay leaves
- Fresh sprigs of thyme and oregano
- Salt and pepper
For Mashed Potatoes
- 1 kilo / 35.2oz white potatoes
- 100 g / 3.5oz butter
- 5 Tbsp of Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano, grated
- 236 ml / 1 cup hot full-cream milk
- Salt
Instructions
- Place a Dutch oven or casserole pan over medium-high heat. Add the butter along with the thyme and oregano and let the butter melt.
- Add the beef cheeks to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes on each side, spooning the butter over the meat as it cooks. Once nicely browned, remove the herbs and set the beef cheeks aside.
- Lower the heat to medium-low. Carefully add the red wine a little at a time to deglaze the pan. Use a spoon to scrape up all the flavourful bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. This is where the flavour is.
- Crush the garlic with your hand and add it to the pan. Cut the onion into quarters directly over the pan. Cut the carrots and celery into large pieces, or simply break them by hand, and add them in. Add the bay leaves and stir everything together.
- Return the beef cheeks to the pan and add the vegetable stock. Cover with a lid and cook for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, remove the beef cheeks from the pan. Add the passata to the sauce and mix well. Place the beef cheeks back into the pan, cover, and cook for a minimum of 3½ hours. Turn the meat every 30 minutes to 1 hour so it cooks evenly and stays beautifully tender.
Making Mashed Potatoes
- Peel the potatoes and place them in a pot of cold water. Bring to the boil over high heat and cook until tender. You’ll know they’re ready when a fork goes through easily.
- Drain the potatoes well, then pass them through a potato ricer or mash them until smooth. Use a whisk to gently mix and add half of the butter, stirring until incorporated. Season with salt, but don’t overdo it.
- Add the Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano, then pour in a splash of hot milk. Mix until the mash becomes creamy and smooth.
- Add the remaining butter and another splash of milk. Mix gently, adding more milk if needed, until the mash is velvety and soft.
Making the Sauce
- Once the beef cheeks are cooked, remove them from the pan and set them aside. Remove and set aside the vegetables as well.
- Place the pan back on low heat and add half a glass of red wine. Deglaze the pan again, letting the wine gently evaporate while scraping the bottom to lift any remaining flavour.
- Pass the sauce through a sieve and set it aside. Return the pan to medium-low heat, pour the strained sauce back into the pan, and allow it to simmer gently until it thickens to your liking.
Video
E ora si mangia, Vincenzo’s Plate….Enjoy!
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If You Loved These Slow Cooked Beef Cheeks, You’ll Love These Slow Cooked Dishes Too
- SLOW COOKED BEEF RAGU PASTA – Slow cooked beef ragù made with chunky beef and simmered patiently until the sauce becomes rich, thick, and perfectly coats every strand of pasta.
- OSSOBUCO RECIPE – This recipe turns two simple ingredients into an incredibly flavourful and comforting meal. With crispy golden potatoes and juicy fennel sausage cooked together in one dish, it is the perfect rustic Italian dinner.
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