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Beef cheek

Beef · Chuck
Braise
Raw Beef cheek — Beef Chuck cut
Also called
🇲🇽Carrillada de res🇦🇷Carrillera🇫🇷Joue de bœuf🇪🇸Carrillada de ternera🇵🇹Bochecha de vaca🇧🇷Bochecha de boi🇮🇹Guancia di manzo🇩🇪Rinderbäckchen

The beef cheek is the masseter muscle of the cow's jaw, an intensely worked muscle with abundant collagen. It is very tough raw but transforms after several hours of braising into extraordinarily silky, gelatinous, deeply flavored meat. It is a staple of French bistro cooking and is gaining popularity in upscale restaurants worldwide.

Names by country

CountryNameNotes
🇺🇸United StatesBeef cheek
🇬🇧United KingdomBeef cheekprimary
🇲🇽MexicoCarrillada de res
🇦🇷ArgentinaCarrillera
🇫🇷FranceJoue de bœufA classic French bistro cut, typically braised in red wine
🇪🇸SpainCarrillada de terneraCarrilladas de ternera en salsa is a beloved Spanish tapa
🇵🇹PortugalBochecha de vaca
🇧🇷BrazilBochecha de boi
🇮🇹ItalyGuancia di manzo
🇩🇪GermanyRinderbäckchen

Similar cuts

Paleron
Paleronapproximate

Both are collagen-rich cuts requiring long braising, but beef cheek is a single muscle that becomes exceptionally silky while chuck is larger and coarser-grained.

TenderloinRoundBottom SirloinRibPlateChuckShort LoinBrisketFlankSirloinShankShank

Classic recipe

Beef Cheeks Braised in Red Wine4 hr

Beef cheeks are extraordinarily gelatinous — richer and more intensely beefy than oxtail. Braised low and slow in red wi…

View full recipe →

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