Beef cheeks are a cut from the facial area of the animal, around the muscle the cow uses to chew. There is a lot of sinews when these cuts first make it to the butcher shop where they trim the cuts down for a cleaner looking cut. This muscle makes a good cut for appetizers, stews, soups, sandwiches, and main dishes because it is a highly used muscle. When the cow uses the cheek muscle to chew they can create dense muscle that becomes very tender after cooking when it is cut properly by a good butcher.