Slow Cooked Beef Cheeks

This is one of my go-to recipes that's great for the restricted phase of the SIBO diet. To make this dish I recommend using a slow cooker, you'll need to make the bone broth first as it's used in the beef cheeks recipe.

SLOW COOKED BEEF CHEEKS – serves 4

• 600g beef cheeks

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 3 cups of beef bone broth (see recipe)

• 5 carrots chopped

• 1 stick of celery sliced

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 tsp thyme leaves

• 1/3 cup of flat leaf parsley chopped (to garnish upon serving)

• 1 ½ tsp sea salt

• ½ tsp pepper

• 1 tbsp coconut oil (for searing the beef cheeks)

  Method:

• If you have a removable slow cooker pan that can go on the stovetop or oven, remove it from the slow cooker add the coconut oil and place it on a med-high heat on the stove top (if you don’t have this type of slow cooker pan then use a large saucepan with a lid).

• Place the beef cheeks in the pan and the tomato paste, try and coat them in the tomato paste and sear them until lightly brown (it should only take a few minutes).

• Then add the remaining ingredients (except the parsley) and cover with a lid, once the liquid starts to bubble, place it in the slow cooker and turn on low (if you’re using a saucepan instead of a slow cooker leave on the stovetop and turn the heat to as low as possible, it should cook very gently) leave for 8-12 hours.

• Once it’s ready pull the beef cheeks apart with a fork.

• Serve sprinkled with chopped parsley and with some green beans sautéed in ghee or with some roast veggies.

  BROTH – yields approximately 2 litres

• 1.4kg beef bones cut into pieces (just ask your butcher to do this for you)

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 20 peppercorns

• 3 star anise

• 1 tsp sea salt

• 1 bay leaf

• 6 carrots roughly chopped

• 1 celery stick roughly chopped

• 6 sprigs of thyme

• 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• 1 tbsp coconut oil for frying

• Filtered water to cover the ingredients (approx. 2 ¼ litres)

  Method:

• If you have a removable slow cooker pan that can go on the stovetop or oven, remove it from the slow cooker add the coconut oil and place it on a med-high heat on the stove top (if you don’t have this type of slow cooker pan then use a large saucepan or stockpot with a lid).

• Place the bones in the pan and the tomato paste, try and coat them in the tomato paste and sear them until lightly brown (it should only take a few minutes).

• Add the other ingredients and cover with filtered water, cover with a lid, bring to the boil then place in the slow cooker on low for 12 hours (you can use the stove top for slow cooking but ensure the heat is as low as possible).

• After a few hours skim any scum sitting on top of the liquid.

• Once the broth is finished, remove the bones and pour through a sieve so you're left with the broth only.

• It can be kept in the fridge for a couple of days but otherwise store it in the freezer. When you remove it from the fridge there may be a layer of fat on top, just remove this before using.

  Yours in health,

  Meredith x