Slow-Cooked Beef Cheek Ragu with Rustic Damper Bread

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-07-15 · Updated 2026-07-15

Rich beef cheek ragu slow-cooked until tender and served alongside traditional Australian damper bread for a comforting meal. This australian-inspired slow cooker ready in about 240 minutes pairs beef cheeks, carrots, diced, celery stalks, diced for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 480 calories and feeds 6, 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
• 1 cup carrots, diced
• 1 cup celery stalks, diced
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic cloves, minced
• 14 oz canned crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup red wine
• 2 cups beef stock
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme sprigs
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 cup cold water
• 2 tbsp butter, melted

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 300°F. Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Pat dry 2 lbs beef cheeks, then sear on all sides for 3-4 minutes until browned. Remove and set aside.
2. Step 2: In the same pot, add 1 cup diced carrots, 1 cup diced celery, and 1 large diced yellow onion. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened. Add 4 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Step 3: Deglaze the pot with 1 cup red wine, scraping browned bits, then add 14 oz crushed tomatoes, 2 cups beef stock, 3 sprigs fresh thyme, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Return beef cheeks to pot.
4. Step 4: Cover and transfer to the oven, cooking for 3 hours until beef is fork-tender and ragu thickens.
5. Step 5: Meanwhile, prepare damper bread by mixing 3 cups all-purpose flour and 1 tbsp baking powder in a bowl. Stir in 1 cup cold water and 2 tbsp melted butter to form a sticky dough.
6. Step 6: Shape dough into a round loaf on a baking sheet. Bake in 375°F oven for 30-35 minutes until golden and hollow-sounding when tapped.
7. Step 7: Shred beef cheeks into the ragu and serve hot with slices of damper bread.