A Recipe For Slow-Cooked Organic Beef Shanks

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.

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.

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 says some 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!

Slow-Cooked Organic Beef Shanks with Onions and Mushrooms

---

★★★★ 4 from 3 reviews

• Author: Halle Cottis
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 8 hours
• Total Time: 8 hours 15 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: main dish
• Method: stovetop
• Cuisine: american

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

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

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

• Web
|
• More Posts(12)