Braised Beef Shank

One of my favorite techniques is the long braise. This is where you sear a generally tough, cheap cut of meat cook it for hours in a nice broth or wine stock at a low temperature. This process breaks down the sinew and muscle tissues, delivering an end product that literally falls off the bone!

INGREDIENTS:
1 ½ TBSP vegetable oil
4 lbs beef shank
salt
pepper
1 large onion rough chop
1 large carrot rough chop
2 ribs celery rough chop
1 sprig rosemary
1 TBSP flour
1 ½ cups drinkable dry red wine
2 cups chicken stock
10-15 sprigs thyme

Preheat your oven to 325F.

Start off by patting the meat dry and seasoning with salt & pepper on all sides. Add the oil to a large sauté pan over high heat and sear the meat until golden brown. Reserve the meat to a dutch oven. Add the onion, carrot, and celery to the same pan used to brown the meat and sweat them over medium heat for 7-10 minutes. Turn the heat to medium, add the flour to the vegetables and cook for 1 minute. Deglaze with the red wine, and reduce by half. Add the chicken stock and bring to the simmer.

Once to the simmer, pour the braising liquid over the meat. Add in the rosemary, thyme sprigs, and garlic and cover the dutch oven with the lid. Cook at 325F for 3 hours.

Once done, remove the meat and the vegetables and let rest.

Add beef shank to your average marinara and toss with your favorite pasta for an incredible ragu. Or fill tacos to the rim with braised beef shanks. Keep things simple and serve simply with a side of risotto for a delicious meal. And don’t forget the bone marrow! 

Speaking of the devil, spread it on a toasted hoagie with provolone cheese. Layer with meat, strain the jus, and upgrade the classic French dip sandwich!