Smoked & Tallow-Confit Beef Cheeks

Start by trimming the beef cheeks – get rid of any silver skin or membrane. In a wide dish, mix your salt and pepper 1:1. Press the cheeks into the mix, coating both sides. Slap 'em together to shake off the excess – what sticks is perfect. Let the meat sit at room temp while you fire up the Kamado Joe. This method gives you solid bark with no clumping, no gluey binders – just meat and seasoning.

Load up your Kamado Joe with quality lump charcoal and 2–3 oak wood chunks for that deep smoke. Set it up for indirect cooking using the deflector plates and dial the temp in to 120°C (250°F). 

Chuck a tray filled with your beef dripping into the Kamado while it's coming up to temp. Let it melt slowly and soak up a kiss of oak smoke. This is going to be your confit bath later – trust me, it’s worth the early start.

Place the cheeks straight on the grates (indirect zone), close the lid, and let the smoke do its thing. No spritzing unless the bark looks a bit dry. After about 3 hours, you want the internal temp around 70–74°C (160–165°F) and that bark nice and set. We’re not rushing – patience builds flavour.

Once the cheeks are smoked up, drop them into that tray of now hot, smoky beef dripping. You want the fat covering the meat. Cover tightly with foil and bump the temp up to 135°C (275°F). Let them confit for 3.5 to 4 hours until the internal hits 95°C (203–205°F) and they probe like soft butter. If they’re not fully submerged, give them a flip halfway through.

Let the cheeks rest in that liquid gold for 30 to 60 minutes. They'll stay piping hot and get even more tender. Perfect if you’re waiting on your guests or sorting sides.

Beef cheeks don’t play by the rules when it comes to grain – it's more like a spider web than straight lines. So don’t overthink it. The best way to slice? Go across the width, not the length, and hold your knife at a slight angle to get a nicer, cleaner cut. But here’s the truth – these things are so tender, they’ll probably shred just from looking at them. Don’t panic. That’s not a fail – that’s how good they’ve cooked.

Slice if you want that clean presentation, shred for a pulled beef vibe, or just squash it in your palm caveman-style and pile it high. Whatever your style – it’s going to be rich, juicy and next-level tasty. Just get it in a roll, on a plate, or straight off the board . . . and enjoy every bite.

Here’s what I served mine with, and let me tell you, this combo slaps. It’s the perfect mix of rich, sharp, sweet and crunchy – proper balance to the deep, fatty beef.

• Red Pickled Onions – These bring the zing. Sharp, bright and punchy – perfect for cutting through the richness of the meat. Make a batch the day before and let them mellow in the fridge.

• Mini Brioche Rolls – Soft, sweet and golden – ideal for building cheeky little beef sliders. The sweetness of the bread plays beautifully with the smoky meat.

• Corn Ribs – Take whole cobs, quarter ‘em lengthways, season with smoked paprika and garlic powder, then grill until they curl up and char slightly. Finish with a hit of fresh lime juice. Sweet, smoky and tangy – crowd favourite.

• Mac & Cheese – I used shop-bought and chucked it in the Kamado for a reheat. Let it bake until golden and bubbling on top – dead easy, proper comfort food.

Keep it casual, serve it on boards or trays, and let everyone dive in. It's the kind of meal where people go quiet mid-bite – always a good sign.