Beef Cheek Patties

20+ minutes Prep Time
2 hours 30 minutes Cook Time
4-6 Servings

Original Blog & Recipe by
Silvia Salas-Sanchez

Silvia Salas-Sanchez is the founder/creator and co-host of Abuela’s Kitchen YouTube Channel, where she shares the kitchen with her 84 year-old Abuela from Purepero, Michoachan. Silvia continues to celebrate culture—all in the kitchen—by sharing traditional Mexican cuisine. She inspires creativity and innovation with her spicy personality and colorful Latina twist on everything she does—from food, fashion, comedy, travel and more!

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Beef Cheek Patties

I have always loved to be creative in the kitchen but didn’t always have the time. I loved to bake with my mom as a kid and did a lot of it as a teen. After high school, I went straight into college and did not really have the free timeto be in the kitchen. When I got married, I was working on my masters degree and held 2 jobs–which led to less time to cook.

Funny how I did not know I missed cooking until I had children, and chose to become a “stay at home mom.” I found myself cooking and experimenting more in the kitchen. For added value, I have taken the opportunity to spend more time with my Abuela and my mom, learning to cook more authentic/traditional Mexican recipes. Aside from spending time with them, it has been great returning to a place of sharing ideas in the kitchen with my mom just like when I was a kid.

Here is a recipe we worked on together! I must admit that is it pretty darngood. Thanks to the fresh Cheek Meat from Rumba Meats,I was able to create beef cheek pattiesin a deliciously mild chile sauce with and a hint of sweetness from the banana chiles. PARA CHUPARSE LOS DEDOS!

Ingredients

Rumba® Beef Cheek Meat (2 to 3 pounds)
Salt, to taste
3 cloves garlic, divided
3 bay leaves
10 peppercorns
5 tomatoes
1 onion, cut into quarters, divided
1-2 Banana peppers, stemmed
3 eggs
3 tablespoons of flour
3 tablespoons of bread crumbs
Lard or vegetable oil, for frying
Chopped cilantro, for garnish

Recipe Notes

Delicious served with white rice and a green salad.

Instructions

Combine beef cheekmeat, salt, 2 garlic cloves and 2 onion quarters in a large pot with enough water to cover the meat.
Cook for 2 to 3 hours until tender and cheekmeat reaches an internal temperature of 160ºF. Remove meat from pot and cool. Remove fat, as needed, and shred the meat. Set aside.
In a dry skillet over medium heat, roast the tomatoes, peppers, remaining 1 garlic clove and remaining 2 onion quarters. Combine in a blender and blend until smooth. Set sauce aside.
Separate egg whites and yolks into 2 separate bowls. Beat egg whites until fluffy. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, to egg whites, mixing to blend each time. Fold in shredded meat, flour and breadcrumbs and mix until blended.
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add lard or oil and heat. Scoop up a large spoonfuls of shredded meat mixture and drop into the pan, pressing each scoop into a patty shape with a spatula and cook. Flip each patty and cook until evenly browned on both sides. Remove patties and set aside.
In the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil, add reserved sauce and fry until thickened. Add 1½ cups water and salt to taste. Bring sauce to a simmer.
Add browned patties to the sauce and simmer for another 5 minutes until fully heated.
Serve patties garnished with cilantro.