Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium–high heat.
Season the beef with the salt and pepper, then coat with the plain flour. Cook the floured beef in the frying pan for a few minutes on each side until golden brown.
1 kg beef cheek, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper, 2 tablespoons plain flour
To the slow cooker, add the browned beef, onion, garlic, carrot, celery, italian herbs, tomato paste, canned tomatoes, beef stock, boiling water and worcestershire sauce. Give it all a good mix.
1 kg beef cheek, 1 brown onion, 2 cloves garlic, 2 carrots, 3 celery sticks, 1 tablespoon italian herbs, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 400 g canned diced tomatoes, 1 cup beef stock, 1 cup boiling water, 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.
Halfway through, add the mushrooms and thyme. Give it a good stir.
3 cups mushrooms, 1 tablespoon thyme leaves
Before serving, sprinkle parsley over the dish and give it a final stir.