INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Prepare The Beef Cheeks:
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- Cut off any large, fatty membrane.
- Pat dry then use 1 tsp of salt and black pepper to season the beef all over.
2. Cook the Beef Cheeks:
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- Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large heavy based pot over high heat.
- Sear half the beef cheeks on each side until nicely browned.
- Take them off and put to the side and repeat
3. Cook the Onion and Garlic:
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- Turn down the heat to medium high and heat the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil.
- Add garlic and onion. Sauté for 3 minutes until the onion is translucent.
4. Add the celery and carrots:
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- Sauté for a further 3 minutes.
5. Add Into the Slow Cooker:
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- Pour the onion mixture into the slow cooker and place the beef cheeks on top.
6. Heat the Wine:
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- Pour the wine into the pot and return to heat. Turn the heat up to high, bring to simmer and let it simmer for 1 minute (to cook out the wine a bit).
- Scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan so it mixes in with the wine.
7. Add Remaining Items into Slow Cooker:
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- Pour the wine into the slow cooker, then all the remaining ingredients, starting with a pinch of salt and pepper (add more to taste later).
8. Let it Cook:
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- Cook in the slow cooker on Low for 10 – 12 hours or High for 8 hours for 350g beef cheeks.
9. Remove the Beef Cheeks:
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- Remove the beef cheeks and discard the thyme stems and bay leaves.
10. Blend the Sauce:
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- Use a handheld stick blender to puree the braising liquid into a smooth Sauce – it will change from a dark brown to a lighter brown colour.
11. Simmer the Sauce:
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- Transfer liquid into saucepan, simmer on stove on medium high until the Sauce turns a darker brown colour and reduces by about 1/4 to 1/3, to a gravy consistency – about 10 minutes.
12. Remove from heat:
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- Do a taste test and adjust the seasoning to your taste.
- Remove from the heat, return the beef cheeks to the Sauce, cover and keep warm until ready to serve.
13. To Serve:
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- Serve beef cheeks on Mash Potato and drizzle with a generous amount of Sauce.
- Garnish with finely chopped parsley if desired.
