Beef Shanks |
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| Written by John Umlauf |
| August 24 2006 |
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Most folks aren’t aware of the incredible culinary and nutritional storehouse that is locked away within the folds of the beef shanks--horizontal cuts on the lower leg of the steer. That’s because the shanks are riddled with connective tissue that dissolves into a gelatinous broth. In this recipe--served at the Wise Traditions 2005 banquet dinner--there’s no need to use pre-made beef stock. What’s more, beef shanks are very economical. A sauce with wonderful structure, flavor and sheen, easily rivaling that of a great veal demi-glace, is obtained through this recipe and the formula is quite simple: a slight acidity to the stock and three to four hours of very slow simmering. Be sure you have the right stockpot--thick-bottomed stainless steel or enamel is best--and be ready to enjoy one of the most satisfying entrées imaginable. Braised Beef ShanksServes 6-8 4 pieces center-cut beef shank, about 2 inches thick Remove shanks from the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature. Place the stockpot over high heat, add the tallow or lard and when a drop of water sizzles vigorously in the hot fat, begin searing the meat on both sides until nicely browned. Add the peppercorns while searing, since the heat will bring out a desirable nutty flavor. Place the vegetables in the pan with the meat to coat them with fat, then pull the meat away from the bottom of the pan so that the vegetables can soften and brown. To the stockpot add the balsamic vinegar and a mixture of the water and the tomato paste. Bring to a gentle boil then immediately reduce to a slow simmer. Using a ladle or spoon, skim any foam from the top of the stock and discard. Add the thyme and bay leaves. Allow to simmer very slowly, covered, 3-4 hours until the meat is tender and almost ready to fall apart. Remove the meat to a platter or baking dish; then strain the stock through a sieve and return the stock to the pot with the garlic. Let the stock reduce for about 1/2 hour by boiling gently, uncovered. Meanwhile, gently remove unwanted tissue from between the nuggets of meat (but don’t scrape off the beautiful, shiny coating of gelatin that will tend to remain on each piece). Return the meat and bones to the baking dish, cover and keep warm. Continue to skim any foam from the top of the stock. Once the stock thickens and becomes a sauce, carefully season to taste with sea salt. Arrange a shank bone on each plate with the nuggets of meat placed around it. The marrow will be present in the center of the bone for those who appreciate this delicacy. Pour the sauce over the meat. Serve with buttery mashed potatoes and oven-roasted carrots and leeks. (You may also wish to serve toasted sourdough bread on the side, to spread the marrow on.) Garnish with a sprig of fresh parsley. It’s now time to stop talking and let the entrée speak for itself!  This article appeared in Wise Traditions in Food, Farming and the Healing Arts, the quarterly magazine of the Weston A. Price Foundation, Winter 2005/Spring 2006. About the Author
Comments (4)
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written by FitsMyBudget, Feb 17 2011
I've never cooked beef shanks before. This should be interesting. Although I'm a bit concerned about the used of too much vinegar as in the previous comment, I always believe in trying the recipes as is before altering them. I can't wait to try this one. Thanks for sharing!
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written by Barbara , Nov 21 2010
I realize the vinegar leaches out minerals in the bones, but I was really disappointed in this recipe. Too much vinegar gave it an off taste. I think just making bone broth as a base for some recipes, like French Onion soup is great if one could get away from that overpowering vinegar taste.
 Roasting bones in the oven before making the bone stock leaches out minerals, and gives the stock a full rich beefy flavor. I'm not a chef, but make a killer bone stock. 
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| Last Updated on Tuesday, June 09 2009 12:53 |
John Umlauf, Executive Chef, is an avid culinarian since 1962. Currently Umlauf serves as Culinary Director for Lake Country Premium Natural Meats and 500 Farms, a northeast regional effort to co-ordinate small-scale farmers with the processing and marketing of healthy and sustainable livestock products including 100 percent grass-fed beef. Visit their website at 
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Leaching is a aqueous process, not a dry heat process. Leaching out the minerals, such as calcium, from the bones and into the stock happens when the bones are submerged in water, and a few teaspoons of vinegar have been added to the liquid before boiling begins. If bones (roasted first to remove fat) are left in this vinegar-laced water overnight at room temp before boiling them, the leaching can take place.
The key step here is not the bone roasting - that is more of a convenience. It is the addition of vinegar to the water and the leaving of the bones in that water for a long period such as 6-8 hours before boiling. Without this "vinegar soak", yuo will melt the cartilage and create a gelatinous stock but it will not have minerals from the bones.