Slow Braised Beef Cheeks and Silky Potato & Celeriac Puree

2 Beef Cheeks, 800g in total.

2 sticks of celery

1 large onion

1 bulb of garlic

2 large carrots

2 sprigs of rosemary

1 beef stock cube or jelly stock pot

Salt & Pepper

1 tbsp oil

6 large potatoes for mashing – kirr pinks or roosters

1 celeriac

250ml cream

1 veg stock cube or jelly stock pot

4 tbsp butter

2 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

150ml red wine

A tiny pinch of xanthan gum – can be found in health stores or big supermarkets (a tbsp of instant gravy granules will also work)

1 tsp finally chopped rosemary

Preheat oven to 140°C.
Grab a large frying pan and place it on high heat. Season the beef cheeks generously with salt. When the pan is hot, add the beef cheeks along with the oil and brown them on all sides. Set aside and reduce the heat to medium.

Roughly chop the celery, onion, carrot, and garlic. Add them to the pan along with the whole rosemary and sauté for 5 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a deep oven tray, along with the beef cheeks. Add the beef stock pot and pour in enough boiling water to just cover the beef cheeks. Tightly cover the tray with tin foil and place it in the oven for 3 to 4 hours.

Check the beef after 3 hours by removing it from the oven, peeling back some of the tin foil, and poking the beef cheeks with a spoon. If they are super soft and tender, they are done. If they don’t fall apart when touched, put them back in the oven for another hour or so. Once done, carefully set them aside in the tray while you prepare the rest of the meal.

Peel and chop the potatoes and celeriac into large dice. Place them into a pot with the vegetable stock and barely cover with cold water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until soft. Strain off the liquid into a bowl (DON’T THROW THIS AWAY). Keep the potatoes and celeriac in the pot, then add the cream, butter, and a good pinch of salt. Blend with a stick blender, adding the reserved liquid as needed until a smooth, creamy texture is achieved. Cover with a lid and set aside.

For the sauce, in a deep pan over medium heat, add the sugar and 2 tbsp of water. Simmer until the sugar dissolves and reduces to a thick syrup. Add the vinegar and reduce until the liquid thickens again. Now add the wine and bring it to a simmer until half of the wine evaporates. Carefully pour in about 1 liter of the braising liquid from the beef cheeks through a sieve to remove the vegetables. Bring this to a simmer over high heat and reduce by half. Remove from heat, add the xanthan gum, and blend with a stick blender until a glossy, thick sauce or jus forms. Stir in the chopped rosemary.

To serve, remove the beef cheeks from the tray and place them on a clean, flat tray. Carefully cut them in half, brush with some of the sauce, and place them in the oven for a couple of minutes if they need to be reheated. Add a generous dollop of the purée to the plate, top with the beef, and drizzle with some of the sauce. This dish pairs wonderfully with wilted kale and a glass of red wine!