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by **steelchef** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 7:21 am

Does anyone use these in any way? They are becoming a gourmet restaurant item in the US and Canada. Apparently the Mexicans have been using them for ever.
Seems there's a lot of waste from trimming them but from the little I've read, it would appear that they might be a very low cost source of tasty sausage meat.
They retail for C$2.00/lb locally. By comparison, boneless blade is double that.

by **Richierich** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 9:36 am

I have had Ox Cheeks, need a long slow braise, quite tough otherwise. Cost for Aberdeen Angus Cheeks is around £17/kg, so call it £7/lb.

Fantastic taste, nothing like "beef", a bit more sweet if i recall, similar to oxtail.

by **Snags** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 12:15 pm

Its a well used muscle,so heaps of flavour.
Its popular in restaurants here too.
Its amazing how restaurants grab a cheap cut to make more profit and then the cheap cut becomes fashionable and gets expensive.
Lamb Shanks,Pork Belly now Beef Cheeks

by **wheels** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 12:41 pm

Richierich wrote:I have had Ox Cheeks, need a long slow braise, quite tough otherwise. Cost for Aberdeen Angus Cheeks is around £17/kg, so call it £7/lb.

Fantastic taste, nothing like "beef", a bit more sweet if i recall, similar to oxtail.

Blimey, you were robbed - They're £1.87/kg here.

Phil

by **Richierich** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 2:53 pm

It was good Ox Cheek - FOLLOW ME FOR GOOD OX CHEEKS

by **wheels** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 3:10 pm

To paraphrase the M & S adverts:

"That's not just any Ox cheek; that's a Donald Russell Ox cheek."

Even so, he's got a cheek with those prices! (groan!) :lol:

Phil

by **dr.walrus** » Sat Sep 11, 2010 12:40 am

Richierich wrote:It was good Ox Cheek - FOLLOW ME FOR GOOD OX CHEEKS

WTF. Seriously, wtf.

...You actually bought them at that price?!

by **grisell** » Sat Sep 11, 2010 11:00 am

I don't think the price is strange. A cow has two cheeks, each weighing about 400 grams. He sells four for £27. That is two cows. Beef cheeks have become increasingly popular and there is a demand for them, especially among restaurants. Actually it seems quite inexpensive. Compare with fillet that's about 2-3 kgs per cow. Whether they are worth the price is another question.

by **dr.walrus** » Sat Sep 11, 2010 12:01 pm

grisell wrote:I don't think the price is strange. A cow has two cheeks, each weighing about 400 grams. He sells four for £27. That is two cows. Beef cheeks have become increasingly popular and there is a demand for them, especially among restaurants. Actually it seems quite inexpensive. Compare with fillet that's about 2-3 kgs per cow. Whether they are worth the price is another question.

Yes, but it's not like fillet has the demand that cheeks do, ao that supply/demand paradigm simply isn't true.

Have a look at everything else on that website, it's just a joke. £16 a kilo for tongue, £15 a kilo for oxtail

by **wheels** » Sat Sep 11, 2010 12:08 pm

I can see your point grisell, but the price seems excessive when other quality butchers are selling them at £1.87 per kg. Now, it's not for me to say where another member should buy his meat, and there's no doubt that Donald Russell sell excellent meat - but you can't help but wonder whether their prices say more about them being "by appointment to the Queen" than about the actual value of the meat.

Take another couple of examples, their oxtail is £15.56 per kg, it's £4.67 here. Their ox liver £7.81 as against £1.06. Phew, that's a massive difference.

Richie - I'm not having a dig at you - where you buy your meat is none of my concern, I just wanted to point out that cheaper alternatives are available. Don't Ox cheeks just make the best gravy ever? Mmm...

Phil

Post crossed with Dr Walrus's

by **Richierich** » Mon Sep 13, 2010 8:31 am

Phil - Feel free to have a dig fella, the fact that we bought them from Donald Russel was more of a no viable alternative at the time, we were promised some from our butcher who does not normally have them in, he was let down so we had 3 days notice to get hold of some for a lunch we had promised friends, needless to say the Mrs might not have looked round too much for them.

I think we paid far too much, but that said we were happy to pay it.

Next time we want some I will make sure SWMBO shops around, might not be the easiest persuasion job though.

by **wheels** » Mon Sep 13, 2010 11:45 am

Richie

The main thing is that you enjoyed them. I think they will become more commonplace/mainstream as I can see them being the next 'big thing' for the TV chefs.

Phil

by **Richierich** » Mon Sep 13, 2010 12:20 pm

wheels wrote:Richie

The main thing is that you enjoyed them. I think they will become more commonplace/mainstream as I can see them being the next 'big thing' for the TV chefs.

Phil

Would be good one for Ready Steady Cook - 30 minutes, no chance!

by **wheels** » Mon Sep 13, 2010 12:45 pm

Very true. They want long and slow.

Steelchef

Have you tried them in sausage? I use pigs cheeks when I have them, they're very good in hot dogs and the like.

Phil

by **saucisson** » Mon Sep 13, 2010 5:02 pm

Richierich wrote:Phil - Feel free to have a dig fella, the fact that we bought them from Donald Russel was more of a no viable alternative at the time, we were promised some from our butcher who does not normally have them in, he was let down so we had 3 days notice to get hold of some for a lunch we had promised friends, needless to say the Mrs might not have looked round too much for them.

I think we paid far too much, but that said we were happy to pay it.

Next time we want some I will make sure SWMBO shops around, might not be the easiest persuasion job though.

They had them in Waitrose in Abingdon around Christmas time, I'll have a look next time I'm in there to see if they do them regularly.

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