Apples brings fruit sweetness and acidity that lift deep beefy richness and keep the pairing lively.
beef, cheeks
+ Add to WorkbenchAbout this ingredient
The masseter muscles of the cow — among the most worked on the animal — with extraordinarily dense connective tissue that, when braised correctly, produces som…
28 pairings
Editorial
Flavor profile
Beef cheeks are the jaw muscles, used constantly for chewing, making them extremely tough, dense with collagen, and richly flavored — ideal for slow braising over 4–6 hours. The collagen content is exceptionally high, higher even than short rib or oxtail, which means properly braised cheeks develop an almost custard-like richness and a braise sauce that sets to a semi-solid gel when chilled. Red wine, veal or beef stock, aromatics, and a long braise produces cheeks that shred in long, silky pieces, with reduced sauce coating everything with glossy intensity. Beef cheeks are a staple of Mexican barbacoa — slow-cooked over fire or wrapped in maguey leaves and cooked underground, then shredded for tacos. Their deep collagen content also makes them ideal for pressure cooking, where what takes 6 hours conventionally can be achieved in 60–90 minutes with the same tenderness.
Pairings
Flavor relationships
Pairs well with
apples
bay leaf
butter, unsalted
carrots
celery
celery root
chives
cinnamon
cloves
garlic
horseradish
leeks
mustard
oil, peanut
onions
pasta
pepper, black
potatoes
risotto
rosemary
salt, kosher
stock, chicken
tarragon
thyme, fresh
tomatoes
vegetables, root
vinegar, balsamic
wine, red
apples
Apples brings fruit sweetness and acidity that lift deep beefy richness and keep the pairing lively.
bay leaf
Bay leaf adds warmth and aromatic contrast to deep beefy richness, giving the pairing more dimension.
butter, unsalted
Butter, unsalted adds richness and carries the aromatic side of deep beefy richness, making the pairing feel fuller and more cohesive.
carrots
Carrots adds vegetal sweetness or earthiness that gives deep beefy richness more structure and balance.
celery
Celery adds vegetal sweetness or earthiness that gives deep beefy richness more structure and balance.
celery root
Celery root adds vegetal sweetness or earthiness that gives deep beefy richness more structure and balance.
chives
Chives gives deep beefy richness a fresh herbal lift, keeping the pairing aromatic instead of heavy.
cinnamon
Cinnamon adds warmth and aromatic contrast to deep beefy richness, giving the pairing more dimension.
cloves
Cloves adds warmth and aromatic contrast to deep beefy richness, giving the pairing more dimension.
garlic
Garlic adds vegetal sweetness or earthiness that gives deep beefy richness more structure and balance.
horseradish
Horseradish complements beef, cheeks by adding contrast, support, or aromatic depth to deep beefy richness.
leeks
Leeks adds vegetal sweetness or earthiness that gives deep beefy richness more structure and balance.
mustard
Mustard adds warmth and aromatic contrast to deep beefy richness, giving the pairing more dimension.
oil, peanut
Oil, peanut adds richness and carries the aromatic side of deep beefy richness, making the pairing feel fuller and more cohesive.
onions
Onions adds vegetal sweetness or earthiness that gives deep beefy richness more structure and balance.
pasta
Pasta gives deep beefy richness a sturdy, comforting base that absorbs flavor and makes the pairing feel complete.
pepper, black
Pepper, black adds warmth and aromatic contrast to deep beefy richness, giving the pairing more dimension.
potatoes
Potatoes gives deep beefy richness a sturdy, comforting base that absorbs flavor and makes the pairing feel complete.
risotto
Risotto gives deep beefy richness a sturdy, comforting base that absorbs flavor and makes the pairing feel complete.
rosemary
Rosemary gives deep beefy richness a fresh herbal lift, keeping the pairing aromatic instead of heavy.
salt, kosher
Salt, kosher complements beef, cheeks by adding contrast, support, or aromatic depth to deep beefy richness.
stock, chicken
Stock, chicken gives deep beefy richness a sturdy, comforting base that absorbs flavor and makes the pairing feel complete.
tarragon
Tarragon gives deep beefy richness a fresh herbal lift, keeping the pairing aromatic instead of heavy.
thyme, fresh
Thyme, fresh gives deep beefy richness a fresh herbal lift, keeping the pairing aromatic instead of heavy.
tomatoes
Tomatoes adds vegetal sweetness or earthiness that gives deep beefy richness more structure and balance.
vegetables, root
Vegetables, root adds vegetal sweetness or earthiness that gives deep beefy richness more structure and balance.
vinegar, balsamic
Vinegar, balsamic brings acidity that cuts through deep beefy richness, making the pairing taste brighter and more focused.
wine, red
Wine, red adds aromatic warmth and acidity that deepen deep beefy richness without making it feel flat.
Bay leaf adds warmth and aromatic contrast to deep beefy richness, giving the pairing more dimension.
butter, unsalted
Butter, unsalted adds richness and carries the aromatic side of deep beefy richness, making the pairing feel fuller and more cohesive.
Carrots adds vegetal sweetness or earthiness that gives deep beefy richness more structure and balance.
Celery adds vegetal sweetness or earthiness that gives deep beefy richness more structure and balance.
Celery root adds vegetal sweetness or earthiness that gives deep beefy richness more structure and balance.
Chives gives deep beefy richness a fresh herbal lift, keeping the pairing aromatic instead of heavy.
Cinnamon adds warmth and aromatic contrast to deep beefy richness, giving the pairing more dimension.
Cloves adds warmth and aromatic contrast to deep beefy richness, giving the pairing more dimension.
Garlic adds vegetal sweetness or earthiness that gives deep beefy richness more structure and balance.
Horseradish complements beef, cheeks by adding contrast, support, or aromatic depth to deep beefy richness.
Leeks adds vegetal sweetness or earthiness that gives deep beefy richness more structure and balance.
Mustard adds warmth and aromatic contrast to deep beefy richness, giving the pairing more dimension.
Oil, peanut adds richness and carries the aromatic side of deep beefy richness, making the pairing feel fuller and more cohesive.
Onions adds vegetal sweetness or earthiness that gives deep beefy richness more structure and balance.
Pasta gives deep beefy richness a sturdy, comforting base that absorbs flavor and makes the pairing feel complete.
Pepper, black adds warmth and aromatic contrast to deep beefy richness, giving the pairing more dimension.
Potatoes gives deep beefy richness a sturdy, comforting base that absorbs flavor and makes the pairing feel complete.
risotto
Risotto gives deep beefy richness a sturdy, comforting base that absorbs flavor and makes the pairing feel complete.
Rosemary gives deep beefy richness a fresh herbal lift, keeping the pairing aromatic instead of heavy.
Salt, kosher complements beef, cheeks by adding contrast, support, or aromatic depth to deep beefy richness.
stock, chicken
Stock, chicken gives deep beefy richness a sturdy, comforting base that absorbs flavor and makes the pairing feel complete.
Tarragon gives deep beefy richness a fresh herbal lift, keeping the pairing aromatic instead of heavy.
thyme, fresh
Thyme, fresh gives deep beefy richness a fresh herbal lift, keeping the pairing aromatic instead of heavy.
Tomatoes adds vegetal sweetness or earthiness that gives deep beefy richness more structure and balance.
vegetables, root
Vegetables, root adds vegetal sweetness or earthiness that gives deep beefy richness more structure and balance.
Vinegar, balsamic brings acidity that cuts through deep beefy richness, making the pairing taste brighter and more focused.
wine, red
Wine, red adds aromatic warmth and acidity that deepen deep beefy richness without making it feel flat.