Not sure whether it was the recipe or the ox cheeks themselves but this was not good - the meat came out far too fatty and not particularly tender. I throw away what was a very large pot of stew after eating half a plateful.
Ingredients (serves 6)
ox cheeks (500g)
2 large carrots, chopped
2 celery sticks, chopped
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves
500ml brown ale of your choice
750ml of beef stock2 bay leaves
2 tbsp tomato purée
100g plain flour
Olive oil
Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 150°C / Gas mark 2. Remove your ox cheeks from their packaging and rest until they have reached room temperature. Use a sharp knife to trim off any excess fat
2. Bring a large frying pan to a medium heat while you slice each cheek into bite-sized chunks. Dust the cheeks lightly with flour
3. Place the diced cheeks into the pan with a drop of olive oil, browning all over until dark and golden. Remove them from the pan and set aside to cool
4. Add the chopped carrots, onions, celery and garlic to the pan you used before and gently fry over a moderately low heat
5. Increase the heat a little and add your ox cheeks back into the pan, along with the tomato purée. Stir until the meat and vegetables are coated in the purée and cook for another 3 minutes
6. Add the ale, stock, and bay leaves and bring everything to the boil
7. Cover the pan with a lid before transferring to the oven to cook for 2 and a half hours
8. When you think it's ready, check the meat to ensure the cheeks are tender, but not falling apart
9. If you have the time, turn off the oven and place the pan inside to rest for a further 30 minutes to allow the flavours to mature
10. We like to serve this rich dish with creamy mashed potatoes and steamed green vegetables