Wagyu Beef Cheek Benedicts Recipe
Make Wagyu Beef Cheek Benedicts Recipe in just 4h 20m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Wagyu Beef Cheeks (braised)
Hollandaise Sauce
Poached Eggs & Muffins
Assembly & Garnish
Method
Wagyu Beef Cheeks (braised)
- 1
Prepare and season
Pat the Wagyu beef cheeks dry with paper towels. Season evenly with 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Lightly dust both sides with the all-purpose flour, shaking off excess.
- 2
Brown the cheeks
Heat a large heavy Dutch oven or ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Add the neutral oil and 1 tbs unsalted butter. Once shimmering, add the cheeks and brown 3–4 minutes per side until a deep mahogany crust forms. Remove cheeks and set aside.
- 3
Sweat the aromatics
Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 1 tbs butter to the pot. Add diced onion, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring, until softened and beginning to caramelize, about 6–8 minutes. Add smashed garlic and tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes, stirring, until tomato paste darkens slightly.
- 4
Deglaze and braise
Pour in the red wine to deglaze, scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon. Bring to a simmer and reduce by about half (3–5 minutes). Return the cheeks to the pot. Add beef stock until cheeks are ~3/4 submerged. Tuck in thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Stir in balsamic vinegar and optional brown sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to a 300°F (150°C) oven.
- 5
Cook low and slow
Braise in the oven for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, or until cheeks are fork-tender and can be pulled apart with little resistance. Check at 2 hours — if liquid is low, add a splash of additional stock or water. When done, remove cheeks and strain braising liquid into a saucepan, pressing solids to extract flavor. Skim excess fat from the surface.
- 6
Reduce and finish
Simmer the strained braising liquid over medium-high heat until reduced to a glossy sauce (about 10–15 minutes). Taste and adjust seasoning with remaining 1/2 tsp kosher salt and a pinch of pepper. Shred or slice cheeks into portions suitable for placing on muffins (about 1/2–3/4 inch slices or pulled). Keep warm.
Hollandaise Sauce
- 7
Set up a double boiler
Bring 1 inch of water to a gentle simmer in a saucepan and reduce heat to low so water is barely simmering. Place a heatproof bowl (stainless or glass) over the pan, making sure the bowl bottom does not touch the water.
- 8
Whisk yolks and lemon
In the bowl, whisk the 4 egg yolks with the 2 tbs lemon juice and 1 tbs warm water until slightly thickened and pale. Place over the simmering water and whisk constantly until the mixture reaches a gentle ribbon and registers about 160°F (or feels thickened) — 2–3 minutes. Do not overheat to avoid scrambling.
- 9
Incorporate butter
Slowly drizzle the warm melted butter into the yolk mixture while whisking continuously. Start drop by drop, then in a thin steady stream once it emulsifies. Continue until all butter is incorporated and the sauce is thick and glossy. If too thick, whisk in up to 1 tbs warm water to lighten. Season with 1 tsp fine sea salt and 1 tsp cayenne (adjust to taste). Keep warm over the warm (not hot) water bath or transfer to a thermos; whisk occasionally.
Poached Eggs & Muffins
- 10
- 11
Poach the eggs
Fill a wide shallow saucepan with 3–4 inches of water and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the 2 tsp white vinegar. Create a gentle whirlpool with a spoon and slip one egg at a time into the center. Poach 3–3 1/2 minutes for a runny yolk or 4 minutes for slightly firmer yolks. Remove eggs with a slotted spoon and briefly rest on a paper towel to drain. Repeat for all eggs. Keep warm in a shallow bowl of warm water if assembling later.
Assembly & Garnish
- 12
Assemble benedicts
Place one toasted English muffin half on each serving plate (two halves per plate if making two servings). Top each muffin half with a generous portion of shredded Wagyu cheek (about 1/2 cheek per muffin half). Spoon 1–2 tbs of the reduced braising sauce over the meat to moisten.
- 13
- 14
