Many people enjoy a good cut of beef. Some prefer it smoked, while others prefer a good old-fashioned grill. One of the most popular cuts of beef must be beef cheeks. Beef cheeks are a prevalent cut because it responds well to moist and slow extended cooking methods.
Cooking beef cheek meat produces a robust, tender result when cooked in curries, stews and braises. Another famous dish is the immensely popular Texas-style beef recipe which involves smoked beef cheeks, often served on toasted buns as sandwiches.
Today we’ll be sharing a few of these popular recipes with the best ways to prepare them! We’ll also look at the nutritional value these cuts add to your plate.
Essentially beef cheek stems from the facial muscle of the cow. During its life, cows are continuously exercising their cheek muscles by chewing food. This consistent chewing leads to the meat being tough. As a result, correct cooking is required to soften the connective tissue, commonly referred to as collagen.
Beef cheeks are best cooked slowly by smoking for an average of 5 hours or braising Trusted Source Braising - Wikipedia Braising (from the French word braiser) is a combination-cooking method that uses both wet and dry heats: typically, the food is first sautéed or seared at a high temperature, then finished in a covered pot at a lower temperature while sitting in some (variable) amount of liquid (which may also add flavor). Braising of meat is often referred to as pot roasting, though some authors make a distinction between the two methods, based on whether additional liquid is added. en.wikipedia.org for 4 to 6 hours. Cooking the meat for such a long period will break down the tough connective meat tissue, rendering the meat tender and juicy.
Using best oklahoma joe smoker like the Oklahoma Joe’s Longhorn Smoker is the perfect way to perfect your beef cheeks. With 751 square inches to cook on, you’ll have ample space to make the biggest portion of beef cheeks! The reverse flow smoker feature guides smoke and heat through the main chamber, delivering an even and robust result.
Another grill great for smoking your beef cheeks is the ZGrills-7002E. The simple to read digital control pad makes grilling as easy as using your stove oven. A precise temperature control feature ensures consistent results every time!
If you’re smoking or grilling your beef cheeks, the classic brisket rub is a popular spice combination.
Classic Brisket Rub
The good news is beef cheek meat is healthy and good for you. The reason is quite simple. The muscles are strong from years of continuous chewing by the cow. The muscles are toned with a huge amount of blood flow to the tissue. This results in a huge amount of hearty flavor in the meat.
Serving a beef cheek meat portion with your choice of steamed vegetables will provide you with a meal that’s not only delicious but healthy as well!
On average a 100g portion of beef cheeks has the following nutritional value:
Aside from monitoring your oven or smoker temperature, it’s a good idea to invest in a quality internal thermometer to ensure your meat is cooked till it’s tender. External temperatures are listed as follows:
Two of the most common ways of preparing beef cheeks is the traditional slow-cooked way or smoking it the Texas-style way. Let’s have a look at these two beef cheek meat recipes.
Preparation is key to ensuring your smoked beef cheeks taste as juicy, tender and robust as you expect them to. A quality smoker, internal thermometer and the perfect recipe is the best place to start! Whether you prefer smoking, braising or grilling your fresh cut of beef cheeks, if you prepare it correctly, you’ll have a tasty, full-bodied portion of smoked beef cheeks on your plate!
