Learn how to cook beef shank, the easy way

Enjoy the flavors of this braised Roasted Beef Shank recipe for dinner tonight. It’s prepared in the oven or a slow-cooker and full of flavor. Add a vegetable medley on top and you have the perfect beef shank dinner. The taste of slow-cooked beef shank is wonderfully rich, the marrow roasts perfectly while you cook tender beef shanks.

What is a Beef Shank

What is Beef Shank? Beef shank comes from the legs of a cow. If not properly cooked, the meat will be tough. But if you prepare this meat slowly, it will become very flavorful and tender.

Veal shanks can be made into osso buco; beef shanks can also be prepared through braising.

Beef shanks are one of the perfects cuts of beef to roast at a low temperature for a long time. It’s also a very inexpensive cut of beef. 

Shank is sometimes sold as soup bones, but you will notice there is a lot of meat on these bones. Since they are a bone-in cut of beef and are full of flavor, I think these are a steal at the meat counter.

Braising of Meat

Braising, simply put means to cook something slow with a lot of liquid. By using a slow cooking method for this beef shank recipe, we get the opportunity to allow the tough connective tissue in this cut of beef to break down.

When cooking with liquid, there is a chance to add in some nice flavors.

Steps in Braising

1. Brown the meat – we are going to season the meat and then dredge it into the seasoned flour. Browning the meat will make our meat flavorful initially, and by adding some flour, we will have a nice thick sauce when the beef shanks finish cooking.
2. Saute Aromatics – Once the meat has been browned we will remove it from the pan, we will saute onions, celery, and carrots in the same pan until they are browned.
3. Scrape up the Fond – by now our pan has brown bits on the bottom, this is where a lot of flavors are. We are going to introduce some dry Sherry to this to help scrape up the browned bits.
4. Add additional liquid – When you simmer the shanks in chicken broth, an additional layer of flavors will be added to the beef. I think by layering different types of meat brings out the best flavors forward.
5. Slow cooking – the cooking is done in a covered dish in the oven, or you can place this into a crockpot. The slow cooking will allow the connective tissues to break down, and this dish will become tender and flavorful.

Notes

• What’s the best wine for cooking? I like to use either a dry Sherry when whites are called for or a dry Marsala for red wine recipes. So often when you open a bottle of wine you have to drink it right away. I have learned that if I keep a bottle of either dry Sherry or dry Marsala I always have a bottle of wine that I can use in cooking. These typically cost between 8 to 15 dollars a bottle, so I think these are a very good deal considering how many dishes you can make with a bottle of these wines.
• This dish is flavored with a traditional mirepoix. A mirepoix is a mixture of chopped celery, carrots, and onions. This blend of vegetables is a classic blend that is used in many dishes.
• Top this dish with a gremolata, simply chopped parsley, lemon zest, and finely chopped garlic mixed together. The parsley topping adds a nice finishing touch to this recipe. The beef is a heavy dish, and finishing it with the gremolata adds the right amount of zest to this dish.

This dish will make a sauce that you will want to drizzle over the beef shank when you serve it.

Ingredients for brasied beef shank

Here’s what you need to make this delicious beef shank dinner:

• Beef shanks
• Salt and Pepper
• All-purpose flour
• Paprika
• Vegetable oil
• Onions
• Celery
• Carrots
• Garlic
• Dry Sherry
• Low-sodium chicken broth you can use beef broth
• Cumin
• Smoked paprika
• Lemon zest
• Fresh parsley

How to Cook Beef Shank

1. Trim excess fat from beef shanks if desired.
2. Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of beef shanks.
3. Combine flour, salt, and paprika.
4. Dredge beef shanks in the seasoned flour.
5. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil and brown the beef shanks for 4 to 5 minutes on each side.
6. Remove shanks and place them on a plate for later.
   
7. If needed, add more oil to the pan. Add onions, celery, and carrots to the pan.
8. Sauté until the vegetables just begin to brown.
9. Add chopped garlic and sauté for a minute.
   
10. Add dry Sherry and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
11. Add cumin and smoked paprika and stir to combine spices in the mixture.
12. Place the shanks back in the skillet.
13. Cover and simmer until the beef shanks are tender.
14. Combine parsley, lemon zest, and garlic to make a gremolata.
15. Serve beef shanks with the cooked vegetables and gremolata sprinkled on top.

Love beef? Check out these recipes

• How to Make a Pot Roast
• Instapot Beef Stew Recipe
• Panda Express Stir Fry Recipe
• Panera Bread Steak & White Cheddar Panini on French Baguette
• Steak Hibachi
• Ritz Cracker Meatloaf
• Pot Roast with Mushrooms
• Chipped Beef Cheese Ball with Green Onions
• Baked Corned Beef Recipe
• Easy Carne Guisada Recipe

Beef Shank Side Dishes

• Steakhouse Mashed Potatoes
• Southern Brown Rice
• Baked Potato with Sea Salt

Be sure to check out all my recipes for beef and the best side dishes.

Braised Beef Shank

Braised beef shanks are tender and full of flavor. Prepare this inexpensive meat cut easily for your next big meal. 

5 from 4 votes

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Beef Shank, Beef Shank Recipe, Keto, Low Carb

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours

Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 439kcal

Author: Stephanie Manley

Ingredients

• 2 pounds beef shanks trimmed if desired
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 4 large celery stalks chopped
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 3 cloves garlic
• ½ cup dry Sherry
• 16 ounces low sodium chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 large lemon, zested
• 1 cup parsley chopped
• 3 cloves garlic chopped

Instructions

• Trim excess fat from beef shanks if desired.
• Salt and pepper beef shanks on both sides.
• Prepare seasoned flour by combining flour, salt, and paprika.
• Dredge beef shanks in flour and shake off excess flour.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Add the beef shanks and brown them for 4 to 5 minutes on each side. The shanks should just brown on both sides.
• Remove the shanks and place them on a plate.
• If needed, add another tablespoon of vegetable oil to the skillet.
• Add onions, celery, and carrots to the skillet.
• Sauté until the vegetables just begin to brown.
• Add chopped garlic and sauté for another minute or two.
• Add ½ cup of dry Sherry and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Scrape up as many of the browned bits (fond) as you can.
• Add cumin and smoked paprika and stir to combine spices in the mixture.
• Place the shanks back in the skillet with the vegetables.
• Cover and simmer until the shanks are tender.
• Combine chopped parsley, lemon zest, and chopped garlic to make a gremolata.
• Serve the beef shanks with vegetables and topped with gremolata.

Optional Slow Cooker Instructions

• Transfer seasoned vegetables to the Crock-Pot and place the beef shanks in the Crock-Pot. Add low sodium chicken broth, and cover. Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours.

Optional Oven Instructions

• Transfer seasoned vegetables and beef shanks to a Dutch oven or another cooking vessel with a lid. Add chicken broth and cover. Bake at 250 degrees for 4 hours.

Notes

•  I like to use either a dry Sherry when whites are called for or a dry Marsala for red wine recipes. So often when you open a bottle of wine you have to drink it right away. I have learned that if I keep a bottle of either dry Sherry or dry Marsala I always have a bottle of wine that I can use in cooking.  These typically cost between 8 to 15 dollars a bottle, so I think these are a very good deal considering how many dishes you can make with a bottle of these wines.
• This dish is flavored with a traditional mirepoix. A mirepoix is a mixture of chopped celery, carrots, and onions. This blend of vegetables is a classic blend that is used in many dishes.
• Top this dish with a gremolata, simply chopped parsley, lemon zest, and finely chopped garlic mixed together. The parsley topping adds a nice finishing touch to this recipe. The beef is a heavy dish, and finishing it with the gremolata adds the right amount of zest to this dish.

Nutrition

Calories: 439kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 780mg | Potassium: 1032mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 5830IU | Vitamin C: 7.5mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 6mg