Braised Beef Shanks

Braised Beef Shanks cook slowly to give you wonderfully tender and flavorful beef, in a similar style to Osso Buco.

What Are Beef Shanks?

Beef shanks are typically cross-cut sections of the upper leg of the cow. 

It can be a tough cut of meat, but is flavorful and tender when braised, so that all the connective tissue and marrow can render. It is often prepared in a similar way to osso buco, though the classic cut for that dish is veal shank. These are beef shanks:

Are Beef Shanks And Veal Shanks The Same Thing?

Veal shanks are almost the same as beef shanks, except they come from a younger cow and are smaller and have a lighter color, as you can see in the picture below:

Both the veal and the mature beef shank come from the leg and are cut across the bone to get the flavor from the bone marrow. It’s best prepared braised and cooked slowly to let the marrow render and give the dish rich flavor. 

Ingredients

In addition to those wonderful beef shanks, we will be using onion, carrots, celery, and fresh garlic for this recipe.

We’ll be using red wine, broth, diced tomatoes, and fresh thyme for the delicious braising liquid. To thicken it at the end, you’ll also need some flour.

Traditional osso buco made with veal uses chicken stock and white wine because veal is delicately flavored. The beef shanks are meatier and so they stand up well to, and benefit from bolder flavors, like the red wine and beef broth used here. You could also use stronger fresh herbs like rosemary and sage as well, if desired.

Veal osso buco is traditionally served with gremolata as a condiment or garnish. It’s a mixture of fresh parsley, garlic, and lemon zest. I find that that same mixture is a lovely addition to braised beef shanks as well. So, if you’re looking for a way to dress up this meal, make sure to get those ingredients as well.

Wine Choice And Wine Substitutions

Using a dry red wine for the braising liquid is the classic choice for braising beef shanks. My favorite kinds of wine for dishes like this are fruity, but dry. I tried making this recipe with two different wines, the Apothic Dark Red and the Robert Mondavi Private Selection Pinot Noir (both readily available at most stores). They both worked great but I preferred the Apothic here. It had more depth and added more rich fruitiness to the dish. 

If you’d prefer to not use wine in this recipe, that is totally fine. Instead of the wine, combine an extra 3/4 cup of beef broth with 1/4 cup of red wine vinegar. Another option is to mix either cranberry juice or pomegranate juice with a bit of red wine vinegar. The idea is to get some of the fruitiness and some of the acidity that you get from wine.

How To Make Braised Beef Shanks On The Stove

Sprinkle the beef all over with the salt to season. Heat a tablespoon of the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering. Add two of the beef shanks and cook until browned underneath, about 4 minutes. Flip and brown the other side, about another 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining shanks then remove them.

Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until just starting to brown in spots, about 4-5 minutes. Add in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds before adding in the wine. Stir and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot and then add the diced tomatoes, a cup of the broth, and the thyme. Stir everything together well.

Add the beef shanks back into the pot, overlapping them so that they are mostly submerged in the cooking liquid. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce back to low heat.

Partially cover the pot and allow to simmer, stirring occasionally, until beef is very tender and pulls away from the bone, about 1.5 hours. 

How To Finish Beef Shanks In The Oven

Instead of keeping the Dutch oven simmering on the stove for that last 1.5 hours, you can instead finish the dish in the oven. Put the lid on and put the Dutch oven into the oven at 300°F for the 1.5 hours, no need to stir.

Instant Pot Braised Beef Shanks

You can also make this beef recipe in the Instant Pot. Follow the first few steps of the recipe instructions, using the sauté function of the Instant Pot instead of on the stove.

When you get to step 5, set the pressure cooker to cook on high for 45 minutes. Once it has finished the pressure-cooking cycle, leave the knob in the Sealing position until all of the steam has released (in ohter words, don’t do anything, which will result in a slow and natural release of the steam). Once the button drops down letting you know the pressure has fully come down, remove the lid and then continue with the recipe using the sauté function set to high to thicken the sauce.

Thickening The Sauce

No matter which way you finished cooking the beef shanks, you’ll want to thicken up the cooking liquid to make a delicious sauce.

Use tongs to transfer the cooked beef shanks to a serving platter. Skim the excess fat off of the liquid in the Dutch oven, if desired.

Measure the flour and the remaining half cup of beef broth into a mason jar or container with a tight-fitting lid. Shake it until no lumps remain. Stir it into the liquid in the Dutch oven. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens, about 3-4 minutes. 

How To Serve Braised Beef Shanks

This dish is often served over creamy polenta, but you could also serve with mashed potatoes or even rice. And, as noted, it’s lovely served with a garlicky gremolata on top. I like to serve it as big pieces where each serving has a bone. But alternatively, you can pull it into chunks or shreds. If shredding the beef, you can serve it on egg noodles.