“I’m vego – but Big Fig beef cheeks don’t count.”
Yes, it really is a thing.
So why are our rich and succulent pomegranate beef cheeks turning people flexitarian (ok, the clue is in the question) and why are they our most asked-for recipe? No, we’re not giving you the recipe right now (‘cos, cookbook … maybe … one day), but … here are all of its secrets.
Secret 1: Marinade
Lots of tangy pomegranate molasses (ours comes by big blue 22kg tub) is countered by a deep umami red pepper paste which we make ourselves. Think of these as the marinade’s two star players, balanced by a supporting cast of crushed garlic, chillies, white pepper and so on.
Red Pepper Paste – how we make it.
Red pepper paste is an essential in our kitchen, adding a deep and comforting flavour to dishes like harissa baked beans and butter bean stew.
Paste at the halfway point
First we blitz roasted skinned red peppers (don’t be waiting for summer - canned roasted peppers are absolutely fine) with chillies, sugar and salt, to a liquid. Getting this puree to a thick spread is a long game; we pour it into a pan and let it slowly roast for hours at a low temp. We stir the liquid every hour or two, checking its progress to becoming thick and shiny. As it thickens, the aroma intensifies, filling the kitchen with intoxicating fragrance and a complex flavour that is uniquely its own. When it has hit the consistency we can confidently call a paste, it’s done and ready to work its magic. You can stockpile this red pepper paste in small batches in the freezer, ready to add a capsicum vibe to anything from hummus to tahini sauce.
Secret 2: Master stock
Like the song I sing with my granddaughters, it’s the sauce that never ends. Each day the beef cheek cooking juices are strained, simmered down to become a glossy jus and added to the next batch. Our master stock is passed down through literal generations of pomegranate beef cheeks. This sauce is not just flavour, but comfort and history in every spoonful.
Master stock reducing
Secret 3: Time
The last job for the kitchen team every day is to fill every available oven with trays of beef cheeks to cook overnight. The cheeks, bathing in marinade, master stock and (our homemade) chicken stock are tightly sealed with paper and foil, then cook while we sleep, at 110 degrees. In the morning, the whole shop is bathed in delicious beef cheek aroma. The trays are opened, a squeeze with the tongs confirms they’re falling apart tender and silkily perfect and that’s it. Slow cooking, done and ready to serve. Fast.
Beef cheeks getting their morning squeeze