Slow-cooker beef cheeks in red wine

Ingredients: 

  1/4 cup plain flour
 1.2kg beef cheeks
 2 tablespoons olive oil
 2 medium brown onions, cut into wedges
 6 cloves garlic, halved
 2 medium carrots, coarsely chopped
 1 cup (250ml) Shiraz red wine
 2 cups (500ml) Massel beef stock
 2 tablespoons brown sugar
 2 tablespoons tomato paste
 2 bay leaves
 3 sprigs fresh thyme
 40g butter
 6 shiitake mushrooms, halved
 6 medium swiss brown mushrooms, halved
 12 small button mushrooms 
 Salt, to season

Instructions:

 

Step 1
Season flour with salt and pepper. Place flour in a large snap-lock bag. Add half the beef. Seal. Shake to coat. Remove from bag, shaking off excess flour. Transfer to plate. Repeat with remaining beef.

Step 2
Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook beef in batches, for 3 minutes each side or until browned. Transfer to a plate.

Step 3
Add onion, garlic and carrots to pan. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until golden. Place half the onion mixture in the bowl of a 5 litre slow cooker. Top with beef and remaining onion mixture.

Step 4
Add wine, stock, sugar, paste and herbs to frying pan. Bring to the boil then pour over beef in slow-cooker.

Step 5
Add butter to pan, then mushrooms. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until browned. Add to beef.

Step 6
Cover with lid. Turn slow-cooker on low. Cook for 8 hours or until beef is tender. (Alternately, turn slow-cooker on high and cook for 4 hours). Sprinkle with fresh thyme and serve with garlic mash, steamed asparagus and green beans.