20-Min Smoked Beef Cheek Skillet
Beef cheeks are naturally tender and smoky — sear them hard in a cast-iron skillet, then finish with a quick glaze of bourbon, Worcestershire, and brown sugar for caramelized depth. Dinner in 20 minutes.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 485
- Protein
- 52g
Ingredients
- 1 lb beef cheeks, trimmed
- ¼ cup bourbon or whiskey
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme sprigs (or 0.5 tsp dried)
Instructions
- 1
Pat beef cheeks dry with paper towels. Season generously with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika on both sides.
- 2
Heat 2 tbsp neutral oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high until it shimmers, about 90 seconds.
- 3
Sear beef cheeks 4-5 minutes per side without moving until a dark brown crust forms. Transfer to a plate.
- 4
Pour bourbon into the skillet to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits. Let it bubble and reduce by half, 90 seconds.
- 5
Stir in Worcestershire, brown sugar, thyme, and 0.25 cup water. Return beef cheeks to the pan and simmer for 6 minutes.
- 6
Plate the beef cheeks and spoon the glaze over top. Serve hot with the thyme sprigs and pan sauce.
Tools you’ll need
- 12-inch cast-iron skillet
- tongs
- paper towels
- wooden spoon for deglazing
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