Braised Beef Shanks
- Total Time: 2 hours 15 mins
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
This budget-friendly take on osso buco replaces the traditional veal shank with beef.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
- Salt and Pepper
- 4 beef shanks, about 3/4 lb-1 lb each
- 1 medium onion, medium dice
- 1 small carrot, medium dice
- 2 ribs of celery, medium dice
- 4 oz (115 g) mushrooms, sliced
- 1 tbsp of tomato paste
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup (240 ml) red wine (I used a zinfandel)
- 3 cups (720 ml) chicken stock or water
- 1 can cannellini beans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Liberally salt and pepper the shanks. Brown in batches in the dutch oven, about 3 minutes a side. Remove and set aside.
- Turn the heat to medium. Add the onions, carrots, celery and mushrooms. Sweat the vegetables until wilted, stirring the bottom of the pan to loosen any brown bits.
- Add the tomato paste and rosemary, thyme, and bay leaf to the vegetables. Cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Add the red wine, cook and stir for about 2 minutes.
- Add the chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Cover and bake for 1 1/2 hours.
- If you are using enamel cast iron, the lid should be heavy and tight enough to maintain moisture throughout cooking. If not, you may need to check the dish occasionally to make sure you have adequate liquid.
- minutes before the end of the cook time, add the beans and stir to make sure they are submerged. Check salt and pepper levels prior to serving and adjust as needed.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 beef shank
- Calories: 580
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Frequently Asked Questions
How is this different from osso buco?
The excerpt describes this as a budget-friendly take on osso buco that swaps the traditional veal shank for beef. Each of the 4 beef shanks weighs about 3/4 to 1 lb and braises in a zinfandel red wine and chicken stock mixture for 1 1/2 hours, resulting in the same fork-tender result at a lower cost.
When do the cannellini beans go in, and why so late?
The beans are added about 15 minutes before the end of the 1 1/2-hour cook time and stirred to submerge them in the braising liquid. Adding them late keeps them from turning mushy — they just need to heat through and absorb some of the braising juices.
Does the type of pot matter for keeping enough moisture during the long braise?
Yes — the instructions specifically note that if you’re using enamel cast iron, the heavy, tight lid should maintain moisture throughout. With other pots you may need to check occasionally and add liquid to keep the braise from drying out. 
Was the shank only for flavoring? I noticed you don’t add it back to the soup.
I’m guessing you added the shank back in at step SIX?