Slow Cooked Ox Cheek Ragout

Weekend Dinners: Slow Cooked Ox Cheek Ragu, made in one pot! Melt in your mouth soft meat that is perfect for leftovers and freezing.

I’ve recently purchased a cast iron casserole dish, and now I’m wondering where it’s been all my life.

The fact that I can just chuck in a load of ingredients into a pot and basically forget about it for the next few hours is just magical. One pot, less washing up, no time spent slaving over a stove or hoping I won’t burn the food and the house if I exit the kitchen for a few minutes with the stove on. Not to mention the delicious aroma of a home cooked meal that slowly starts to spread around the house. Pure bliss.

This slow cooked ox cheek ragout is so simple to make, it’s a bit ridiculous that it ends up tasting as delicious as it does. It has some serious wow-factor when served, with the meat literally melting in your mouth, full of flavour. It is just so versatile as well, and keeps well in the fridge. Serve with rice, pasta, or courgetti, or make yourself a fancier sloppy joe’s by slapping a few spoonfuls into a baguette or bun.

Weekend Dinners: Slow Cooked Ox Cheek Ragu, made in one pot! Melt in your mouth soft meat that is perfect for leftovers and freezing.      Weekend Dinners: Slow Cooked Ox Cheek Ragu, made in one pot! Melt in your mouth soft meat that is perfect for leftovers and freezing.

Slow Cooked Ox Cheek Ragout
 
Author:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 500g | 1.1 pounds Ox (beef) cheeks
  • 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
  • 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 2 large carrots, cut into 2cm thick rounds
  • 1 tin anchovies
  • ¼ cup red wine or red wine vinegar
  • 500ml bone broth
  • 1 can chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • rosemary
  • oregano
  • Butter or ghee, for cooking
Instructions
  1. Trim your ox cheek of any excess fat, pat dry with a paper towel and season both sides with salt and pepper.
  2. Heat a large casserole dish or heavy based saucepan over medium-high heat. Add your butter, swirl around the pan, and once the pan is hot add the ox cheeks. Brown each side for about 1-2 minutes, then remove the cheeks and set aside.
  3. Add the onions, garlic, carrots and anchovies to the pan, adding more butter if necessary. Cook for 5 minutes, then add in the red wine or red wine vinegar to deglaze the pan. Note - this is what will get all the delicious flavours from the bottom of the pan!
  4. Return the meat to the pan and let simmer for 10-15 minutes before adding in the remainging ingredients.
  5. Now you can either finish the cooking in the oven or the stove top.
  6. Oven: place the lid on the casserole dish in a pre-heated oven at 200ºC | 400ºF and cook for 2.5 - 3 hours, turning the meat once halfway through.
  7. Stove: place the heavy based saucepan on the heat and partially cover. Cook for 3.5 - 4 hours, turning every hour or so and making sure the bottom isn’t burning. If necessary, add extra broth or water.
  8. The dish is done once the meat is so soft it shreds easily and is very soft. Serve hot, alongside some courgetti, pasta, rice or even mash.
 

Weekend Dinners: Slow Cooked Ox Cheek Ragu, made in one pot! Melt in your mouth soft meat that is perfect for leftovers and freezing.
Menu