A Recipe For Slow-Cooked Organic Beef Shanks (2024)

A Recipe For Slow-Cooked Organic Beef Shanks (1)

A Hearty Stew To Welcome The Arrival Of Fall

Fall is finally here! I am welcoming its arrival with something delicious simmering atop the stove all day long, enticing me with its developing aromas wafting throughout the house.

As the hours pass, the alluring scent hints at the intricate flavors building, beckoning dinnertime to hasten its arrival.

Indeed, one of the great components of fall is a hearty stew simmering away and composing its intricate flavors as the hours pass.

Grass Fed Beef On A Budget

In case you missed it, yesterday I did a post on grass-fed beef and How We Eat Grass-Fed Beef On A Budget. One of the most economical cuts when buying grass-fed beef is the shank.

What exactly is a beef shank? It is wonderful, that’s what it is! The shank is found on the leg of a cow, just above the knee.

A Recipe For Slow-Cooked Organic Beef Shanks (2)

Although beef shanks are one the most overlooked and unsung cuts of a cow, when they come from a 100% grass-fed cow they are one of the most inexpensive, and nutrient-dense cuts of meat you can buy!

This makes them a great and delicious option for those trying to eat a wholesome diet on a tighter budget.

Why Beef Shanks Are So Nutritious!

The nutrition in beef shanks comes from their composition of bone, connective tissues, and of course actual meat.Bone and cartilage (connective tissues) are rich sources of a great array of minerals.

As beef shanks cook slowly at a low temperature, all of those minerals are extracted and made available to us.

The idea of bones and cartilage may not sound all that appetizing, but they lend to this stew a deep richness; a composition of complex yet harmonious flavors singing from all of those nutrients!

Slow And Steady Does the Trick

There is one important thing you need to know when cooking this inexpensive yet rich cut of meat: it requires time.

Cooking it any less than 6 hours will do it no justice. It must cook all day long in order to transform it from tough and chewy to buttery, luscious, falling-apart goodness!

Time is the necessary ingredient in this dish to unlock all of the flavor and nutrients it has to offer.

A Recipe For Slow-Cooked Organic Beef Shanks (3)

Time: Unlocking Both Flavor and Nutrition

Catherine Shanahan of Deep Nutrition explains,

“It is a little-known fact that when a chef talks about flavor, he’s also talking about nutrients.When he sayssome flavors take time to develop, he’s saying sometimes you have to wait for certain nutrients to be released. Cooking meat slow is the best way to turn an ordinary meal into something extraordinary–in terms of taste and nutrition.”

Catherine Shanahan ~Deep Nutrition

In other words, as the hours pass, they lend not only better flavor to meat, but more nutrients and minerals are drawn out of the bones and made available to our bodies.

So sit yourself down with a nice glass of wine, and enjoy the process. It makes a difference…it really does!

A Recipe For Slow-Cooked Organic Beef Shanks (4)

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A Recipe For Slow-Cooked Organic Beef Shanks (5)

Slow-Cooked Organic Beef Shanks with Onions and Mushrooms

★★★★ 4 from 3 reviews

  • Author: Halle Cottis
  • A Recipe For Slow-Cooked Organic Beef Shanks (6)Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • A Recipe For Slow-Cooked Organic Beef Shanks (7)Cook Time: 8 hours
  • A Recipe For Slow-Cooked Organic Beef Shanks (8)Total Time: 8 hours 15 minutes
  • A Recipe For Slow-Cooked Organic Beef Shanks (9)Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • A Recipe For Slow-Cooked Organic Beef Shanks (10)Category: main dish
  • A Recipe For Slow-Cooked Organic Beef Shanks (11)Method: stovetop
  • A Recipe For Slow-Cooked Organic Beef Shanks (12)Cuisine: american

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Description

Slow cooking beef shanks make for a rich and delicious meal that’s worth the wait.

Ingredients

  • 1lb grass-fed beef shanks (3 small or 2 medium shanks)
  • 2 Tbs coconut oil
  • salt and pepper
  • 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • 2 onions, roughly chopped
  • 2 cups dry red wine (cheap is fine! I use $3 Cabernet form Trader Joes)
  • 3 1/2 cups organic or homemade beef broth
  • 2Tbs balsamic vinaigrette
  • 10oz white or Baby Bella mushrooms, quartered

Instructions

  1. Heat coconut oil in iron skillet over medium-high heat
  2. Generously rub beef shanks in sea salt and black pepper
  3. Sear shanks in skillet, 7 minutes each side
  4. Remove shanks, set aside, and lower heat to medium
  5. Add garlic and onions, season with salt and pepper, cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to brown
  6. Add 1 1/2 cups red wine, and 1 1/2 cups beef broth, season with salt and pepper
  7. Bring to a boil, lower heat to low simmer, stir in 1Tbs balsamic vinaigrette
  8. Return shanks to pan, simmer low, uncovered, for 3 hours (until most of the liquid is reduced)
  9. After 3 hours, add remaining red wine, beef broth, and balsamic vinaigrette; season with salt and pepper
  10. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer, partly covered, for 4 hours
  11. After 4 hours, gently push on the meat to remove it from the bones
  12. With the back of your wooden spoon, poke the buttery marrow out of the bones into the stew, stir to incorporate
  13. Stir in the mushrooms, cover and simmer for 1 more hour
  14. Serve over creamy polenta, brown rice, or couscous

A Recipe For Slow-Cooked Organic Beef Shanks (14)

About Eryn Lynum

Eryn Lynum is the author of the book 936 Pennies: Discovering the Joy of Intentional Parenting. She lives in Northern Colorado with her husband and four children, where they spend their time hiking, camping, and exploring the Rocky Mountains. She loves to travel and share at conferences, churches, and writers’ groups. But every opportunity she gets, she is out exploring God’s creation with her family, and sharing the journey at www.936Pennies.com

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A Recipe For Slow-Cooked Organic Beef Shanks (2024)

FAQs

Which cooking method is best for shanks? ›

Lamb shanks are an ideal protein for braising, a combination-cooking method that starts with pan-searing followed by slow cooking in a liquid—usually in a Dutch oven or a slow cooker. Braising is the best way to prepare lamb shanks, which can turn stringy when cooked too quickly.

How long does beef shank take to get tender? ›

Even with the braising step, a beef shank can easily take nine or 10 hours to tenderize fully. But when it does, it's worth it. The meat goes from stringy and chewy to soft and delicate, and you get loads of gelatin-rich juices from it that mingle with and add to the braising liquid.

Which cooking method is most commonly used for beef shanks? ›

How is beef shank typically prepared? Beef shank is often braised or slow-cooked to break down the tough connective tissue and create a tender, flavorful dish. It is commonly used in soups, stews, and braised dishes.

Do you wash beef shank before cooking? ›

Washing beef, pork, lamb, or veal before cooking it is not recommended. Bacteria in raw meat and poultry juices can be spread to other foods, utensils, and surfaces. We call this cross-contamination. Some consumers think they are removing bacteria and making their meat or poultry safe.

Which tenderizing technique would you use for beef shank? ›

Braising is a classic cooking technique. Typically it involves searing off meat then adding aromatics and a braising liquid (like wine and/or stock) then slowing cooking it, covered, in a low oven until the meat is very tender.

How do you tenderize beef shanks? ›

Beef shank will get very tough if you don't cook it long enough. The best way to cook fall-off-the-bone beef shank is to boil and simmer them for at least 3 hours. I also baste them often when I use this method. Bring the liquid up to a boil and reduce to a simmer.

Why is my beef shank tough? ›

Since they come from the leg, the beef tends to be tough and sinewy due to higher levels of collagen. To cook past such flavors, cook shank cuts long and slow with moist heat. Soups and stews are often vastly improved when they incorporate shank as an ingredient.

What is the difference between beef shank and oxtail? ›

Beef shank, or jarret, may be a slightly better alternative as it is usually sold in slices on the bone ("jarret avec os") and will not shred quite as easily as oxtail, though the meat will start to fall off the bone.

What is beef shank best for? ›

Because shank meat is quite lean, it makes good low-fat ground beef. It is used in stews and soups and dishes such as beef bourguignon. As a cheaper cut of meat, shank meat cut is found in cultural recipes across the globe. In Asia, it has long been a popular cut.

Can you overcook beef shank? ›

Just like any cut of meat, beef shanks can be overcooked. Even though they require a long cooking time to break down their tough fibers, there's a point where they can become dry and stringy.

How long should you boil beef shank? ›

Bring to a boil over high; reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a simmer. Skim and discard any scum that surfaces. Add fish sauce and black pepper; simmer until beef is tender, 2 hours and 30 minutes to 3 hours.

What meat is closest to beef shank? ›

Chuck Roast

This is the top substitute for the beef shank. This popular cut is from the shoulder of the cow. It is a large and tough steak that requires slow cooking to make it tender. It comprises several connective tissues and muscles that are heavily exercised as they are used in walking.

What will happen if the meat is not washed or rinsed before cooking? ›

Failure to clean and sanitize these contaminated areas can lead to foodborne illness. Cooking to the right temperature (whether frying, baking, broiling, boiling or grilling) kills germs on meat and poultry, so washing these products is risky and not necessary for safety.

Does beef shank taste good? ›

As such, beef shank is not a super popular cut, but with the right ingredients and technique it can be just as tender as any other beef roast, with a rich flavor that is hard to match. You might also hear the shank called the cross cut shank or beef fore shank.

What cooking method is most appropriate for preparing the shank of a large animal? ›

Stewing or braising the meat is the best way to achieve this as you can stop the meat from drying out with the liquid and the long cooking time on the low heat gives the meat enough opportunity to break down the toughness and become amazingly soft and tender.

What is a shank cross cut method of cooking? ›

Cross cut shank is best cooked using slow cooking methods such as braising or stewing. This helps to tenderize the tough meat and extract its rich flavor. You can braise cross cut shank in a flavorful liquid, such as beef broth or red wine, until it becomes tender and succulent.

What is shanks sword technique? ›

Techniques. Kamusari. Kamusari ( 神避 かむさり , Kamusari?, literally meaning "Godly Avoidance" or "Divine Departure"): Shanks holds his sword in his right hand, infuses it with Haoshoku Haki, and then swings his sword horizontally, creating a powerful slash attack.

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