Recipes

Slow-Cooked Beef Cheek Ragù: The Ultimate Winter Sunday Dish

by Adam Dodd on Jun 23, 2026

Beef Cheek Ragù: Slow-Cooked Italian Recipe

Beef cheek is a flavourful cut that becomes rich and tender when cooked low and slow. Its natural collagen breaks down during braising, creating a silky texture that works beautifully in a hearty ragù.

This recipe combines beef cheeks with red wine, tomatoes, vegetables and herbs for a comforting sauce that's perfect with pasta.

What Is Beef Cheek?

Beef cheek is a hardworking muscle with plenty of connective tissue and collagen. When cooked slowly, the collagen breaks down and the meat becomes tender enough to shred.

For best results, use trimmed beef cheeks and remove any tough outer membrane if needed.

Ingredients

For the Beef

2 beef cheeks, around 700g, trimmed
Sea salt and black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
Plain flour, for dusting

For the Sauce

1 brown onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp tomato paste
250ml dry red wine
400g tinned tomatoes
500ml beef stock
2 bay leaves
1 sprig rosemary
Fresh thyme

How to Make Beef Cheek Ragù

1. Sear the Beef Cheeks

Pat the cheeks dry, season and lightly dust with flour. Heat the oil in a heavy casserole or Dutch oven and sear the cheeks until deeply browned. Remove and set aside.

2. Cook the Soffritto

Add the onion, carrot and celery to the same pot. Cook for around 10 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook briefly.

3. Add the Wine

Pour in the red wine and let it reduce by about half, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

4. Slow Cook

Return the beef cheeks to the pot. Add tomatoes, stock and herbs. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook in a 150°C oven for around 3 hours, or until the meat is very tender.

5. Shred and Finish

Remove the cheeks and shred with two forks. Return the meat to the sauce and simmer uncovered if the sauce needs to thicken. Season to taste.

How to Serve Beef Cheek Ragù

Serve with pappardelle, allowing the wide pasta to catch the rich sauce. You can also serve the ragù with creamy polenta or mashed potato.

Finish with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and fresh basil.

Final Thoughts

Slow-cooked beef cheek ragù takes time, but the result is tender meat and a rich, deeply flavoured sauce. It's an ideal weekend meal served with pasta and your favourite red wine.

Slow-Cooked Beef Cheek Ragù: The Ultimate Winter Sunday Dish

Beef Cheek Ragù: Slow-Cooked Italian Recipe

What Is Beef Cheek?