Braised ox cheek burger with mushroom mayonnaise
Slow cooked meltingly tender ox cheek makes for an epic burger. Especially when served with a rich mushroom mayo.
Ingredients
For the burger
- 1 beef ox cheek
- 2–4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 star aniseÌý
- 1 bay leafÌý
- 3 celery sticks, roughly choppedÌý
- 6 garlic cloves, left whole
- small bunch thymeÌý
- 440ml can Irish stout
- 250ml/9fl oz beef stockÌý
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 brioche buns, toasted and split, to serve
- 1 large gherkin, sliced, to serve
- ½ bunch watercress, to serve
For the mushroom mayonnaise
- 100g/3½oz dried trumpet mushrooms, soaked, squeezed and finely chopped
- ½ garlic clove, grated
- 1 tbsp mushroom ketchup
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked and finely chopped
- 50ml/2fl oz mayonnaise
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
To make the burger, season the ox cheek with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in an ovenproof casserole, add the ox cheek and cook on both sides for 10 minutes until coloured. Preheat the oven to 150C/130C Fan/Gas 2. Add the onion, star anise, bay leaf, celery, garlic and thyme. Pour in the stout and cook until reduced by half. Add the stock and cook in the oven for 2–3 hours.ÌýRemove the meat and set aside. Place the casserole back on the hob and reduce the liquid down to a sauce. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.
To make the mayonnaise, place all the ingredients into a bowl and mix to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
Spread the mayonnaise on the bottoms of the buns. Top with the meat, the sauce gherkin and watercress and add the bun tops.