Beef cheeks at low temperature

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 2 kg beef cheeks
• 0.7 liters of port wine
• 0.7 liters of red wine
• 2 bunch soup vegetables
• 2 bunches of Provençal herbs
• 2 large onions
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1 cup of cream
• 1 cup crème fraîche
• ½ liter beef bouillon (beef jus)
• Flour butter
• salt and pepper
• oil
• Sugar

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes; Rest period approx. 1 day; Cooking/baking time approx. 10 hours; Total time approx. 1 day 11 hours 30 minutes

great for preparing

Season the beef cheeks with salt and pepper. Roll or fold the flat pieces together and secure with toothpicks. Sear them on all sides in a large roasting pan with a little oil. Remove 3-4 large carrots and the parsley from the soup vegetables. Roughly dice the rest with the onion and garlic. Brown the vegetables, except the garlic, in the same pot as the meat with a little oil. When the vegetables have a nice color, add the garlic and tomato paste and deglaze with a small splash of red wine. Stir quickly and vigorously. The red wine will disappear quickly. Add a splash of oil and brown well. Deglaze with all the red wine and port wine. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the jus or stock, parsley, and herbs. Cook uncovered for 30 minutes. Add more water if necessary so that the vegetables are more than well covered. Place the beef cheeks on top and place in the oven at 80°C. After about 8 hours, test the first cheek to see if it’s done. The cooking time can also be up to 12 hours. When the meat is done, carefully remove it from the roasting pan and set aside. Pour the liquid through a sieve. Bring the leftover stock in the roasting pan to a boil with a little water and then strain it into the remaining sauce. Pour in the cream and stir in the crème fraîche. For the sauce, cut the carrots into small cubes and sauté them in butter with a little salt and sugar, then add to the sauce. Let it reduce for about 15 minutes. Thicken with flour and butter, simmer for 15 minutes and season to taste. Add the beef cheeks to the sauce and heat gently, trying not to let it boil completely. This dish is great for preparing ahead and reheating the next day. It tastes even better if the meat has been left in the sauce overnight. Classic side dishes such as red cabbage, dumplings and spaetzle go well with it.