Beef cheek contains 40% more collagen than regular cuts, transforming into silk after 3 hours of French braising.
Beef in Honey Balsamic Sauce
Warm up your winter evenings with this delightful beef dish, slow-cooked to perfection in a luscious honey balsamic glaze. The combination of succulent beef and the sweet-tangy sauce creates a mouthwatering experience that’s simply irresistible. Serve it over fluffy mashed potatoes or alongside roasted veggies for a cozy meal that will have you coming back for seconds!
Prep
15
min
Cook
150
min
Serves
3
people
Level
intermediate
The Story
This rustic French braise got its sweet-and-sour swagger from 14th-century Venetian merchants who traded balsamic vinegar along Alpine routes—French cooks in Lyon discovered that Modena's liquid gold could tame tough beef cheek better than wine, creating a cross-border romance that predates the European Union by about six centuries and tastes infinitely better than Brussels bureaucracy.
Regional Twist
In France's Burgundy region, they replace the honey with local acacia honey and toss those small potatoes with Dijon mustard before adding them to the pot, creating a tangy finish.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 600 g beef cheek
- parsley for garnish
- 2 red onions
- 10 small potatoes
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) tomato paste
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- balsamic vinegar (to taste)
- butter (to taste)
- Garlic powder
- honey (to taste)
- olive oil (to taste)
- Paprika
- Pepper
- Salt
- veal stock (to taste)
- water (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Sear the beef pieces in olive oil and butter over high heat for about one minute until browned on all sides.
- 2
Remove the beef from the pot and add the onions, cooking for 5 minutes.
- 3
Deglaze the pot with balsamic vinegar and cook until syrupy.
- 4
Add the tomato paste, return the beef to the pot with spices, and cover with diluted veal stock.
- 5
Stir in honey to tenderize the meat, then cover everything.
- 6
Cook for about 1.5 to 2 hours over medium heat.
- 7
Add the small potatoes, cover, and cook for an additional 45 minutes.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Sear beef cheek at 400-450°F surface temperature for exactly 60-90 seconds per side to trigger the Maillard reaction without overcooking the exterior before the tough connective tissues break down.technique400-450°F, 60-90 seconds
- ✓Reduce balsamic vinegar to exactly 1/3 its original volume (syrupy consistency coats spoon) to concentrate acids and sugars, creating a glaze that won't separate during long braising.technique1/3 volume reduction
- ✓Add honey during the last 30 minutes of braising rather than early, because prolonged heat above 160°F breaks down honey's enzymes and creates bitter compounds.timing30 minutes, 160°F threshold
- ✓Maintain braising liquid at 180-190°F (gentle bubbles breaking surface every 2-3 seconds) because higher temps cause muscle fibers to contract and expel moisture faster than collagen can dissolve.technique180-190°F
- ✓Add potatoes only after 75 minutes of braising when beef cheek's collagen has converted to gelatin, preventing potatoes from breaking down in the acidic environment before meat tenderizes.timing75 minutes
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
150
min
Serves
3
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Beef cheek contains 40% more collagen than regular cuts, transforming into silk after 3 hours of French braising.
Beef in Honey Balsamic Sauce
Warm up your winter evenings with this delightful beef dish, slow-cooked to perfection in a luscious honey balsamic glaze. The combination of succulent beef and the sweet-tangy sauce creates a mouthwatering experience that’s simply irresistible. Serve it over fluffy mashed potatoes or alongside roasted veggies for a cozy meal that will have you coming back for seconds!
The Story
This rustic French braise got its sweet-and-sour swagger from 14th-century Venetian merchants who traded balsamic vinegar along Alpine routes—French cooks in Lyon discovered that Modena's liquid gold could tame tough beef cheek better than wine, creating a cross-border romance that predates the European Union by about six centuries and tastes infinitely better than Brussels bureaucracy.
Regional Twist
In France's Burgundy region, they replace the honey with local acacia honey and toss those small potatoes with Dijon mustard before adding them to the pot, creating a tangy finish.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 600 g beef cheek
- parsley for garnish
- 2 red onions
- 10 small potatoes
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) tomato paste
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- balsamic vinegar (to taste)
- butter (to taste)
- Garlic powder
- honey (to taste)
- olive oil (to taste)
- Paprika
- Pepper
- Salt
- veal stock (to taste)
- water (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Sear the beef pieces in olive oil and butter over high heat for about one minute until browned on all sides.
- 2
Remove the beef from the pot and add the onions, cooking for 5 minutes.
- 3
Deglaze the pot with balsamic vinegar and cook until syrupy.
- 4
Add the tomato paste, return the beef to the pot with spices, and cover with diluted veal stock.
- 5
Stir in honey to tenderize the meat, then cover everything.
- 6
Cook for about 1.5 to 2 hours over medium heat.
- 7
Add the small potatoes, cover, and cook for an additional 45 minutes.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Sear beef cheek at 400-450°F surface temperature for exactly 60-90 seconds per side to trigger the Maillard reaction without overcooking the exterior before the tough connective tissues break down.technique400-450°F, 60-90 seconds
- ✓Reduce balsamic vinegar to exactly 1/3 its original volume (syrupy consistency coats spoon) to concentrate acids and sugars, creating a glaze that won't separate during long braising.technique1/3 volume reduction
- ✓Add honey during the last 30 minutes of braising rather than early, because prolonged heat above 160°F breaks down honey's enzymes and creates bitter compounds.timing30 minutes, 160°F threshold
- ✓Maintain braising liquid at 180-190°F (gentle bubbles breaking surface every 2-3 seconds) because higher temps cause muscle fibers to contract and expel moisture faster than collagen can dissolve.technique180-190°F
- ✓Add potatoes only after 75 minutes of braising when beef cheek's collagen has converted to gelatin, preventing potatoes from breaking down in the acidic environment before meat tenderizes.timing75 minutes