Braised Beef Cheeks

Ingredients

• 3-5 beef cheeks (trimmed)
• 1 cup of beef stock
• 2 cups of red wine
• Ancestral Seasoning
• 1 carrot (diced)
• 2 stalks celery (diced)
• 1 medium onion (diced)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1tsp thyme
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cloves of garlic (minced)
• 3 tbsp flour
• 3 tbsp butter
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Cooking Oil

Directions

1. Season beef cheeks, let sit for at least an hour
2. Heat oven to 325 degrees
3. Heat 2 Tbsp oil in large pan until just smoking
4. Sear cheeks until well browned (2-3 min each side), set aside
5. Add oil to pan
6. Add carrot, celery and onion, saute for 3 min
7. Add tomato past, bay leaf and garlic, saute for 1 min
8. Add stock, scrape up bits from bottom
9. Add wine, bring to boil
10. Place cheeks in pot and cover, put in oven for 3 hrs
11. Remove pot from oven, verify tenderness
12. Remove cheeks from pot, set aside
13. Strain solids from liquid
14. Add butter and flour, cook for 1 min
15. Add 1-2 cups of liquid to desired thickness
16. Add salt and pepper as needed
17. Slice cheeks into chunks, place in gravy and mix

• Serve with Cheese grits