Beef Cheek Sliders
I would have never thought you could taste the difference between grass fed and grain fed beef until the day I tried grass fed. I was in Thomas Dux one day and there was some on special so I picked some up. I cooked it up and Hamsley said he could even smell the difference as I was cooking it. We were both very impressed with the flavour. It just had a far superior taste to the usual beef I buy, and just melted in our mouths.
Since then, Hamsley has been requesting I buy more grass fed beef… but my wallet tells me “not too often!”
I was sent some Cape Grim beef cheeks recently to work my magic with. Cape Grim is on the north west corner of Tasmania, where the cows live in lush green pastures and pollution free air…. makes me kinda wish I was a Cape Grim cow 😛
Cape Grim have been working closely 800 local farmers in the area since 2007, and produce hormone free and GMO free grass fed Angus and Hereford beef.
If you are a Masterchef fan, and you remember the last challenge in Tasmania, Andy cooked his dish with Cape Grim beef cheeks.
The cuts that Cape Grim offer are:
Cube roll (scotch fillet)
T-bone
Topside (roasting beef)
Eye fillet (tenderloin)
Rump
Outside flat (corning beef)
Striploin (porterhouse)
Op rib
I decided to try this recipe from Matt Preston. I also make a beef cheek minestrone which was alright but the recipe won’t be making it on here. There was something about it I didn’t like, I dunno what it was!
Beef cheeks are best for slow cooking. As they are a secondary cut of meat, they are cheaper than your prime cuts, and break down nicely over the slow cooking process. Put them in the oven in a few hours and come back for deliciousness! There are a great range of recipe on the Cape Grim website as well.
To find out where to buy Cape Grim beef (including beef cheeks) head to their website: www.capegrimbeef.com.au
Beef Cheek Sliders
Matt Preston
2 tbs olive oil
500g beef cheeks, trimmed
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery, chopped
3 anchovy fillets in oil, drained
2 garlic cloves
2 fresh bay leaves
2 cups (500ml) red wine
3 cups (750ml) beef stock
12 small burger buns, split, toasted
12 slices cheddar
3 dill pickles, sliced
Smoky Tomato Sauce
¼ cup (60ml) barbecue sauce
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
½ cup (125ml) tomato sauce
¼ cup (60ml) American-style mustard
1. Preheat the oven to 160ºC.
2. For the smoky tomato sauce, combine ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
3. Heat oil in a large flameproof casserole over medium-high heat in batches, cook beef, turning, for 5-6 minutes until browned. Remove from pan and set aside.
4. Add onion, carrot and celery and cook, stirring for 6-8 minutes until browned.
5. Add anchovies and garlic and cook for 1 minutes or until fragrant. Add bay leaves and wine and bring to a simmer. Return beef to pan with stock. Bring back to a simmer, then cover and transfer to the oven. Bake for 2 hours or until beef is tender. Allow beef to cool slightly in stock.
6. Remove beef from stock, shred with fork then combine with ½ cup (125ml) cooking liquid. Set aside and keep warm.
7. Preheat the grill to medium-high.
8. Spread sauce on bun bases. Top with beef and cheese. Grill for 30 seconds or until cheese melts. Serve with pickles.
9. Makes 12 small sliders or 4 mini hamburgers.
I was baking a cake in my oven, my grill is not something that works… so I used the Airfryer! Worked a treat!
Iron Chef Shellie sampled Cape Grim beef cheeks thanks to Cape Grim and ONQ Design Group.
Tina @ bitemeshowme
To be honest I wouldn’t know the difference between grain fed and grass fed beef either. I still don’t think I know! I guess I should go and find out. Love the look of those sliders. I’d like two please 🙂
Lianne
Yum! Beef cheeks! I still remember that episode Andy cooking those beef cheeks that just melts at the touch of a knife! So gonna try and get hold of some beef cheeks and slow cook them to get some magic on the plate! hehe thanks for sharing this recipe! Using the airfryer is genius babe! (: x
Iron Chef Shellie
Gary’s Meats at Prahran Market definitely has them!
TFP (The Food Pornographer)
Haha, you’ve gotten great mileage out of your Airfryer! Great idea.
I’d like to do a beef tasting, grain fed and grass fed side by side, the same cut of beef, cooked by exactly the same method and to the same level of done-ness. Then see if I can discern any difference(s).
The sliders look delicious! Love the chunky pickles. When i worked at McDonald’s years and years ago, I was forever finding discarded pickles, picked out of the Cheeseburgers, left all over the place. Such a waste, LOVE pickles.
Chanel
I love beef cheeks! These look wonderful – might be good for some mini Brasserie Bread brioche buns! 🙂
I prefer to buy grass fed beef for the ethical reasons, and I always choose grass fed when dining out.
Candice
These look delicious. I think I have already plan next weekends dinner! Yum!
Mez
omg omg omg omg
I have NO words
NO WORDS
These look AMAZING
I’m going to request them on the weekend
Maureen
What a clever cookie you are. I woudl never have thought of using the fryer for this. Two please and don’t forget the pickle. 🙂
Daisy@Nevertoosweet
Wow i’ve never thought there would be that much of a difference between grass and grain fed 🙂 gotta try then! These look sooooooooo juicy and yummy ~ I just had a HUGE breakfast but lol why am i hungry again?
Sophie
Airfryer! Ingenious 🙂
Grass fed beef is amazingly good, mmm….
Winston
I SO WANT TO EAT IN YOUR HOUSE EVERY NIGHT… Your homecooked dinners are always so mouth-watering and diverse. Puts my lazy egg, veggie and rice to shame HAHA. This is interesting. I’ve had very good experiences with certain grass and grain fed, but would be really keen to pit them side by side to REALLY know what they’d taste like. HMMM!
love2dine
How luscious and delicious! This is a recipe I have been wanting to make for years too! I must try it soon!
Sara (Belly Rumbles)
To me grass feed, makes me go… oh yeah, that’s what beef use to taste like. Really is superior in taste. Awesome burgers 🙂
Tania @ A Perfect Pantry
These sliders look delicious… love the pickles on there:)
Gourmet getaways
These are the cutest little burgers and they look so tasty! Oh and I love eating pickles! Delish 🙂
Ashley Ng
Oooh how fun! Want to make! 😀
Cara @ Gourmet Chick
One of my friends is a cattle farmer and says she is surprised there is not more backlash against grain fed beef the way there is battery hens – she advocates the taste of grass fed all the way! These look great.
Kelly
That’s a lot of effort for some sliders but looks absolutely amazing.
Agnes
They look fantastic – go Airfryer! Also, I like grass fed too… when I can afford it. :p
Nic@diningwithastud
I love that you used the air-fryer 😀 brilliant! Mmmmm oozy cheese
Jay
I didn’t think there would be a taste difference between grass fed and grrain fed meat either. When I found out how much healthier grass fed was, I decided to start eating it, and wow does it even taste better. I buy grass fed beef from La Cense Beef through the internet. They make it real easy to place an order. You should check out their new catalog.