Slow-Braised Australian Beef Cheeks with Red Wine Reduction

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-07-12 · Updated 2026-07-12

Tender beef cheeks slowly braised in red wine and aromatic vegetables, served with a rich, silky reduction sauce. This australian-inspired beef ready in about 210 minutes pairs beef cheeks, olive oil, large, diced carrot for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 520 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs beef cheeks
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large, diced carrot
• 1, diced celery stalk
• 1 medium, diced yellow onion
• 4, minced garlic cloves
• 1 1/2 cups dry red wine
• 2 cups beef stock
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 fresh thyme sprigs
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp, freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 325°F. Pat dry 2 lbs beef cheeks and season with 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a heavy oven-safe pot over medium-high heat and sear the cheeks for 4 minutes per side until deeply browned, then remove and set aside.
2. Step 2: In the same pot, add 1 large diced carrot, 1 diced celery stalk, and 1 medium diced yellow onion. Sauté over medium heat for 6 minutes until softened and fragrant. Add 4 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute until aromatic.
3. Step 3: Stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes to caramelize slightly. Pour in 1 1/2 cups dry red wine and simmer for 5 minutes until reduced by half.
4. Step 4: Return beef cheeks to the pot and add 2 cups beef stock, 3 sprigs fresh thyme, and 1 bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid, and transfer to the oven. Braise for 3 hours until the meat is fork-tender.
5. Step 5: Remove beef cheeks and keep warm. Strain the braising liquid into a saucepan and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper before serving alongside the beef.