Braised Beef Shanks and Strawberry Pie

For years, I have been complaining that we need a good butcher shop in this area and now, not only do we have one but Hyde Farms Butcher Shop is only four miles away and they raise their own beef and pork. Now, I need to start supporting them to help them stay in business so I stopped in the other day and bought three nice, big beef shanks to braise.

This past Sunday, friend, Kathy, joined us for Sunday supper and cards and knowing that beef and beef stew are favorites of hers, we decided to turn the shanks into Osso Buco (or so I always thought).  While looking for Osso Buco recipes, I discovered that this term applies to braised veal shanks and is a specialty of Italy’s Lombard Region – it translates as “bone with a hole”.  So, we are having braised beef shanks using the recipe from Emeril Lagasse which I chose because it uses beef broth rather than tomatoes.  I made several changes to the recipe but the original can be found by clicking on the link.

Braised Beef Shanks - Adapted from Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients:

½ c. olive oil

Salt and black pepper

3 each beef shanks totaling 3¾ lbs.

½ c. flour

1 T. Emeril’s Essence

2 c. medium diced onions

1 c. medium diced celery

1 c. medium diced carrots

2 T. chopped garlic

3 bay leaves

2 T. chopped fresh thyme (I used 2t. dried)

1 c. red wine

1-2 qt beef stock (depends on pan and meat sizes)

4 large parsnips, (I couldn’t find parsnips)

¼ c. parsley

Potatoes, for serving (new potatoes from the Mennonite market)

Directions:

1. Trim shanks if needed and tie around them with butcher twine to help them stay together.

2. In a large Dutch oven, add the olive oil. Season the shanks with salt and pepper. Season the flour with Essence. Dredge the shanks in the seasoned flour, coating each side completely.

3. When the oil is hot, sear the shanks for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until very brown on all sides. Remove the shanks and set aside.

4. Add the onions to the pan and saute for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Add the celery and carrots and continue to saute for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.

6. Stir in the garlic, bay leaves, and thyme. Cook for 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with the red wine, scraping the bottom and sides to loosen the browned particles. (Mine didn’t need deglazed but I added the wine anyway).

7. Add 1 qt. stock. Bring the liquid up to a boil and reduce to a simmer.

8. Add the shanks and enough more stock to bring it halfway up the shank sides.

9. Cover and continue to cook for about two hours (three hours for me), basting the shanks often and cook until the meat starts to fall of the bone.

We served the meat over plate-mashed potatoes – you know the ones you boil and mash on your plate with a fork like Mom usually served.  My plated pic wasn’t any good but it was just the potatoes with meat and broth on top - the shanks were too big to serve anyone a whole one.

The Verdict:

The beef was very good but it ended up taking three hours to cook so I was running late.  Kathy oohed and aahed over it and she got the leftovers.

And for dessert, Kathy brought a delicious strawberry pie from her homegrown berries.

I can't remember my last strawberry pie but this was as good as I ever had.

Photos can be enlarged by clicking on them and the blue words are links.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by Almost Heaven South.

Larry

05/22/22 event date