Beef tallow (rendered from ground suet), enough to submerge the cheeks
Apple cider vinegar, for spritzing
Directions
Trim the exterior silver skin off the beef cheeks so the smoke can penetrate. Dry-brine overnight with kosher salt.
Before smoking, coat the cheeks with yellow mustard and a heavy layer of coarse black pepper.
Render the beef tallow: cook ground suet (clean kidney fat) low and slow with water and salt, then strain and cool. The water and salt pull impurities to the bottom.
Smoke the cheeks for 4 hours on an offset smoker with pecan wood at 225-250F, spritzing every 30 minutes with apple cider vinegar so they don't dry out.
Preheat the tallow bath so it's ready when the cheeks come off the smoker. Submerge the cheeks and confit for 6 hours in the oven at 225F.
Rest in the bath for 1 hour, then briefly drain on a wire rack.
Serve like baby briskets, in tacos, or in pastrami-style sandwiches.
