Osso Bucco: Braised Beef Shanks
I love braised shanks. It’s one of my favourite cuts of meat. The texture when cooked low and slow is incredible. If you are looking for a food high in naturally occurring glycine, you just can’t beat shanks. In addition to the collagen rich meat, the marrow adds even more super nutrient density to this dish. Although shanks are often browned before being added to this kind of recipe, I skip this step and find the flavour is still great. I don’t want to risk over cooking the meat. I want the grass fed beef to be super tender and the best way to ensure that in these collagenous cuts is to keep the temperature below 180F. Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS
About 4-6 pounds of beef shanks (whatever you can fit into your pot)
6-8 cloves garlic minced
2 cups each of chopped onion, celery and carrot
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
a few sprigs rosemary
6 sage leaves
1/2 cup tomato puree or 1 cup stewed tomatoes
pinch chilies
2 teaspoons salt and eventually more to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
water or stock to cover
Use a heavy dutch oven or enamelled cast iron pan with a well fitting lid
Sautée the onion, carrot and celery in butter for a few minutes to soften
Add the garlic, shanks and remaining ingredients to the pot
Add enough water so that the shanks are submerged
Place in a 175F oven and braise at this low temperature for 12-24 hours, until the meat falls off the bone
I will often add more vegetables to the pot before serving. In this case. I added a few cups steamed carrots and green onions
Serve over a bed of mashed potatoes or rice, with plenty of the rich broth