Beef Cheek Ragu Recipe

Slow-cooked beef or ox cheek ragu in a big and bold red wine sauce, proper comfort food heaven.

Course Main Course

Cuisine European

Keyword beef cheek ragu, braised beef ragu with pappardelle, ox cheek ragu, slow cooked beef cheek ragu

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 4

Total Time 4 10

Servings Servings

Calories 503kcal

Trim the beef cheek of any excess fat and sinew.
Peel and cut the onion into a 5mm (¼") dice.
Chop the carrot into a 5mm (¼") dice.
Cut the celery into a 5mm (¼") dice.
Slice the bacon into 2-3mm (⅛") thick strips across the bacon.
Heat the oil in a heavy-based medium-sized (24cm or 10") saucepan that you have a lid for over a high heat.
When the oil is hot, add the beef and sear on both sides until it has a deep colour (2-4 minutes on each side). Remove the beef and set it aside.
Reduce the heat to medium, add the tomato puree and anchovies and stir constantly for 1 minute.
Add the diced onion, carrot, celery and bacon and cook for 10 minutes, stirring every 3-4 minutes or so.
Turn the heat up as high as it will go, and when the vegetables start to really sizzle, pour in the red wine, add the thyme and bay leaves. Boil the wine hard until it has reduced by about half (10-12 minutes).
Add the beef stock and sun-dried tomatoes, stir to combine, and then add the beef to the pot.
Add a lid and transfer to an oven at 160°C or 320°F and cook for 3 hours.
Remove the pot from the oven, then take out the beef and place it on a chopping board. Slice the beef or ox cheek across the grain and then cut it into strips. Return it to the pot along with any juices from the beef.
Stir well and return the pot to the oven without a lid for 15-30 minutes to reduce the sauce a little before serving.