When it comes to slow cooking beef, there isn’t a more forgiving place to start than with beef cheeks. The secret of this cut lies in its collagen-rich nature.

Being used nonstop, a cow’s cheeks are a muscle-laden part. It's a tough cut when seared, but slow-cooking it in a liquid turns its collagen into gelatin, making it rich and moist.

Beef cheeks are mostly butchered into about an eight ounce weight, so they’re naturally well portioned out. Thus, you just have to pick your ingredients and start the slow cooker.