Beef cheeks the french bistro version.

[webowabo]

Mick.. I just ran across this fabulous meal thread in my search for beef cheek smokes. I know its the toughest of tough muscles.. and really needs a long braising to tender the heck out of it... but.... I like smoke...im from texas. .. what if... I do a menu similar to this... but smoke cheeks injected with some good red..onion..garlice.. tyme etc infused wine...... smoke on some slow heat smoke (something very subtle. . Live olive wood or avocado. .. just for that kick... ) then finish in a crock or even the drip pan juices slow and low.. I can get beef cheeeks cheao cheap cheap.... something else I wanna try to smoke. I do barbacoa tacos all the time.. with cheeks. same slow cook method... just alot of Chili's instead of herbs and. Veggies.. you think the time is worth it in whatever of my smokers. .. or ... just stick to your great cuisine above?.. just trying to fit in better with you and clarissa ;) hehhe...

Thanks

Hey Mike,

I had an exchange with Mick and Chef Jimmy J on this topic on some thread or other, and there was talk about a combination smoke-braise. Say, smoking for a couple of hours, then finishing up low-and-slow in a crockpot or braising dish with some liquid would probably work really well on some of these tougher collagen-rich cuts like cheeks, shanks, or oxtail.  I was going to do that with oxtail sometime soon.  Chef JJ also said it would work if you use some tricks like a water or au jus pan in the smoker to keep the humidity up while smoking low-and-slow.  I'd point you to that thread exchange, but I can't remember where it was.  I'm sure Mick will be along later to give you a better answer.

Love the way you think!!! 
Clarissa

Ok... now that I think.. injecting wont help cook it... will only slow it in the smoker.... scratch that... but ..clarissa.. let me think/run this by you..JJ..Mick...and whomever....


Beef cheeks... simple seasoning.. s/p..magbe some italian blend...
Small shallow foli pan... say.. 1".. wine/broth/au jus/ whatever is handy...
Place meat literally (however inside said foil pan) raised just 1/2 inch from liquid....
Maybe add onion bulbs.. carrots. . Garlic..etc...to liquid...
Slow smoke for say an hour.. fruit wood.. for an hour at 200* smoker temp..
Then.. after hour... raise to a "high" smoker temp with tbs still..and maybe lower mest half in liquid then
Rotate/flip meat mid way thru a 3 hour smoke...
A braise in the smoker. Think the liquid would take on the smoke flavor...and would those flavors incorporate into the meat while braising...?

 

[webowabo]

Well.. I didnt read your reply totally.. you kinda just said that... lol...

 

[snorkelinggirl]

Well.. I didnt read your reply totally.. you kinda just said that... lol...

I'm interested to hear how it works out for you!  Be sure to post on it. 

 

[moikel]

Mick.. I just ran across this fabulous meal thread in my search for beef cheek smokes. I know its the toughest of tough muscles.. and really needs a long braising to tender the heck out of it... but.... I like smoke...im from texas. .. what if... I do a menu similar to this... but smoke cheeks injected with some good red..onion..garlice.. tyme etc infused wine...... smoke on some slow heat smoke (something very subtle. . Live olive wood or avocado. .. just for that kick... ) then finish in a crock or even the drip pan juices slow and low.. I can get beef cheeeks cheao cheap cheap.... something else I wanna try to smoke. I do barbacoa tacos all the time.. with cheeks. same slow cook method... just alot of Chili's instead of herbs and. Veggies.. you think the time is worth it in whatever of my smokers. .. or ... just stick to your great cuisine above?.. just trying to fit in better with you and clarissa ;) hehhe...
Thanks

I think it will work . A long soak over night in red wine based marinade would be my starting point.Garlic ,herbs & bits. Then into the smoker with a pan under with the marinade in it. Then just wing it from there

.Its a great cut for braising ,I love the sound of the taco deal

. It has that connective tissue through it but I just am a little cautious about the lack of obvious fat & it drying out.

Do you think that maybe a strip of bacon on it would give you a buffer? Not totally wrapped just like a belt or some caul fat same idea.

Beek cheek braised is on menus everywhere here,always with chopped bacon as an ingredient. We dont do brisket down here the same as Texas but the grain of cheek reminds me of it. I was brought up believing that hard working muscles were the tastiest yet to see that disproven. 

Love to see people doing stuff in nose to tail.Sophisticated cookery with unsophisticated ingredients.

Looking forward to your photos.

 

[webowabo]

Thanks mick.. I like the marinade idea ... I had some adult beverages last night... so was overthinking things...
I was thinking a fat blanket as well.. I have some thick fat caps from last weeks tri tips.. ill throw some thru the slicer and slice thin... put on top after a light smoke.
Man.. lots of good ideas....

.. ill give it a try.. see what we have. Thanks you!
You to clarissa.. ; p

 

[moikel]

I like that idea of fat cap keeps it beefy.

 

[webowabo]

I started another thread so I didn't hijack this one...Ill post my question there when you get a chance mick take a lookies. Its under "nose to tail"

 

[801driver]

To resirect an old thread, not sure why it came up looking like a current item. I had three packages of two beef cheeks each recently. First package I trimmed which took a long time and smoked for several hours. Not bad but not all that much meat, flavor, smokey flavor for the effort involved.

Decided to do another package different. One and a half yellow onion slices on the bottom, two tbs minced garlic, salt, pepper, several shakes liquid smoke in a large crock pot. No trimming of anything, nothing else no broth, no water, it makes plenty its own juice. After 10 hours on LOW it was ready to shread off the meat from the fat. It made the most tender beef of any kind I have ever eaten and full of rich flavor. Yep, almost half waste, but what is left over is well worth while.