As the weather cools, consider braising beef shanks for an osso buco with creamy polenta and a gremolata garnish. (Photos: Wini Moranville)
By Wini Moranville
Braising season is here, and when it comes to beef, that often means cuts from the shoulder (aka, the chuck). But lately, I’ve enjoyed a lesser-known braising gem: the beef shank, a cut from the leg.
While chuck roasts rely partly on fat for flavor, beef shanks come with a lot of collagen, which breaks down during cooking, moistening the meat and leaving it with a rich, silky texture while enriching the broth — all without adding a lot of fat to the dish.
Calvin Schnucker at The Good Butcher explains: “Shanks are actually a lean cut of meat, but because they have a lot of collagen, you get a really thick broth from it without having a ton of fat leftover.”
During braising season, he sells shanks from Silver K Farms in Warren County in his fresh case. While those are corn-finished, he will soon get grass-finished shanks from Whippoorwill Creek Farm in Lovilia. You can also find shanks in the fresh counter at Old Station Craft Meats in Waukee, where owner Nick Lenters says they’re an especially good alternative right now to chuck roasts, which are currently climbing in price.
I also found beef shanks at two Fareway stores I called, though their counter pros called them “beef shins.”
My favorite way to make beef shanks is in an osso bucco. Generally, this classic Italian dish is made with veal shanks, but I’ve been enjoying beef. It’s easier to find, is more familiar (and more acceptable) to more guests and is just so robust and satisfying. Plus, one large shank can usually feed two people. With veal, you generally give everyone an entire shank; with beef, you’ll cut the shank off the bone and serve it in chunks, as you would a pot roast.
As Schnucker says, “When you serve beef shanks over polenta or mashed potatoes — something hearty — you don’t really need a ton of protein per person because it already comes in this really rich sauce.”
My recipe? Please don’t tell anyone (!), but I cheat with Williams Sonoma’s Osso Buco Braising Sauce, and it’s terrific. Just be sure to check often during cooking, as you might need to add water if the sauce reduces too much. You’ll likely need to cook the dish longer than the sauce label suggests, as it’s intended for veal. (My beef shanks took 2 hours for supreme tenderness.) And don’t forget the gremolata, that classic herb garnish of minced garlic, parsley and lemon peel that adds a bracing jolt of freshness to the long-simmering dish.
Wini Moranville has been writing about the local food scene since 1997. You can follow her on Substack at winimoranville.substack.com.
