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Martini 
LSU Fan
Baton Rouge
Member since Mar 2005
24096 posts
| Braised Beef Cheeks (Posted on 2/13/13 at 10:15 pm)
My neighbor gave me four beef cheeks, fresh. I'll cook them tomorrow. I've done them before since they own cattle and give a few to me from time to time. Next time I told them I wanted the whole head to cook but I need the weekend to do that and I'm not around this one. So this is what I'll do
Four beef cheeks, shallots, pound of shiitake mushrooms cut in half, two carrots chopped medium, four or five cloves of garlic, half bottle of red wine, Salt pepper, rosemary, thyme, bit of balsamic vinegar, big can of San Marzano whole
Trim silver skin off cheeks and season with salt and pepper, maybe dust lightly with flour.
Heat a bit of canola oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat and sear cheeks well on all sides, remove from pot. Deglaze with a cup of wine and toss in shallots, mushrooms and carrots ans sauté a few minutes, add cheeks back in and rest of ingredients. Wine and tomatos should come to 3/4 the thickness of the cheeks. Add a bit more wine, beef stock or water if needed. Bring to a boil, cover and put in a. 350 oven for about 3 hours, checking about each hour for liquid. Add a bit as needed. When tender, remove, adjust seasoning and if too thin take lid off and return to oven for a few more minutes to tighten it up. Serve over wide egg noodles.
You can add anything you might want, a bit of tomato paste when you add the vegetables, celery, onions, potato etc...
You can serve over whatever as well, mashed potatoes, rice, grits, riisotto etc...
Dust with fresh chopped parsley and pull out the biggest Cabernet you have and enjoy.
You can marinate with a bit of vinegar, seasonings and wine as well. I just didn't feel like opening a bottle of wine and didn't want to fool with it anyway.
I like a lot of fresh thyme in this recipe and be sure to chop the rosemary fine.
I have some family coming in tomorrow and. The evening will be cool so it will be a good hearty dish they will enjoy. Sprinkle good Parmesan on it at the end.
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ruzil 
Southeastern LA Fan
Baton Rouge
Member since Feb 2012
2572 posts
| re: Braised Beef Cheeks (Posted on 2/13/13 at 10:18 pm to Martini)
Martini
That sounds incredible. 
Take pictures and post.
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Martini
LSU Fan
Baton Rouge
Member since Mar 2005
24096 posts
| re: Braised Beef Cheeks (Posted on 2/13/13 at 10:19 pm to ruzil)
I don't do pictures but I'll report back.
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Oenophile Brah
LSU Fan
RDV
Member since Jan 2013
880 posts
| re: Braised Beef Cheeks (Posted on 2/13/13 at 10:24 pm to Martini)
Sounds amazing. I might consider using fresh pasta cut in semi-wide strips instead of egg noodles. Think you may want something with a tad more bite then egg noodles. IMHO.
ps.
Forgot to mention sending invites. I'll bring the Cab.
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OTIS2
LSU Fan
NoLA
Member since Jul 2008
18475 posts
 Online
| re: Braised Beef Cheeks (Posted on 2/13/13 at 10:26 pm to Martini)
Did short ribs this way a few weeks ago...with onions, celery, thyme and rosemary...all else was the same, and very good.
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JLSIX 
New Orleans Saints Fan
New Orleans, LA
Member since Apr 2010
15323 posts
| re: Braised Beef Cheeks (Posted on 2/13/13 at 10:42 pm to Martini)
Bookmarked.
Sounds delicious
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Martini
LSU Fan
Baton Rouge
Member since Mar 2005
24096 posts
| re: Braised Beef Cheeks (Posted on 2/14/13 at 7:49 am to Oenophile Brah)
It is fresh pasta. It's fresh pappardelle which is egg noodles that I made last night.
I've made prosciutto cup for a brussels sprout salad with bleu cheese vinaigrette.
I decanted a 2009 David Arthur Cab Franc a few minutes ago because it opens very well for a long time.
I have a 2010 Wren Hop Shriveled Hand to open about 5.
I'll pick up a good bread at Whole Foods today and my wife bought a flat of Ponchatoula strawberries yesterday for dessert.
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DonChowder
LSU Fan
Crockpot
Member since Dec 2012
1446 posts
| re: Braised Beef Cheeks (Posted on 2/14/13 at 9:05 am to Martini)
quote:
pappardelle
Hell yeah. quote:
2009 David Arthur Cab Franc
The daddy of the cabernet grapes...nice.
So where's my invite?
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Rohan2Reed
Grambling Fan
Auerbach's Tavern
Member since Nov 2003
58678 posts
| re: Braised Beef Cheeks (Posted on 2/14/13 at 9:10 am to Martini)
Sounds really solid Martini. Only thing I would do differently would be to wrap the rosemary and thyme in cheesecloth and put that in the pot when I put it in the oven and discard after cooking, but that's simply personal preference on rather having subtle herb flavor rather than seasoning with them.
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BlackenedOut
The Big Sleazy
Member since Feb 2011
1752 posts
| re: Braised Beef Cheeks (Posted on 2/14/13 at 9:10 am to Martini)
Just adding a tip:
When braising, after your meat has cooked, remove it and strain the sauce into a clean pot. Put the sauce on the heat and reduce by half or more. Discard the aromatics and vegetables. If you want, blanch some carrots or turnips or potatoes and add it to the sauce. After a long braise, those veggies and aromatics have lost their flavor and are water logged. Much better to reduce the sauce (finish with a touch of butter), add blanched carrots or what have you, then rewarm the meat in the sauce.
Not a necessary step by any means, but one that makes a huge difference.
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