Recipe by Lynfred Brand Ambassador Laura Lorenz
Serves: 2-4*
Ingredients
4-5 lbs. bone-in beef shanks, brought to room temperature
2 tbsp oil (canola, vegetable, avocado)
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1 small yellow onion, chopped
5 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary*
5-6 sprigs of fresh thyme*
3 cups dry, full-bodied red wine (such as a Cabernet Sauvignon)
1(6oz) can tomato paste
3 tbsp flour
1 cup beef broth (good quality)
1 ½ cup beef demi-glace*
8 oz button mushrooms, sliced in half
1 ½ cups pearl onions (I use frozen peeled, so much easier)
Kosher salt and pepper
Chopped Italian parsley for garnish
Directions
Pat the beef shanks dry, and lightly salt and pepper both sides. Tie the beef shanks to keep them together while cooking (this step is optional). In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pan, add the oil and place over medium-high heat. Sear the shanks on all sides and then remove from the pan and set aside*. Turn the heat down to medium (add olive oil if needed), then add the carrots, celery, and the onion. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Next, turn the heat down to low and add the garlic, cook for another 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Then add the tomato paste and the flour, stirring well to make sure all the flour is cooked through (cook for roughly 1 minute).
Next, whisk in the red wine and the beef broth and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer and cook for 7-8 minutes. Then blend the mixture with either an immersion blender or a regular blender (be careful because it is hot). Return the liquid to the pan, whisk in the demi-glace, and add the pearl onions, mushrooms, beef shanks, and the herbs. Cover and simmer over low heat for 2-2 ½ hours, or until the meat falls off the bone. Make sure to stir every 30 minutes to make sure nothing burns to the bottom of the pan.
Tips
*Serving size will vary depending on how meaty the shanks are and how many sides this dish is served with.
*I like to tie my herbs together with kitchen twine to keep them together and make them easy to remove after cooking.
*I used a homemade demi-glace so I could control the salt level. Be careful, some store brands can be very salty. Although I recommend demi-glace, you can substitute beef broth mixed with 1 tsp beef base.
*Quick trick when searing meat- (you know when to turn the meat over when it releases naturally from the pan).
*Make sure the beef shanks stay fully submerged in the liquid while cooking.
*I like to serve this dish with brown butter mashed potatoes and steamed broccolini. This dish is super delicious with polenta and sautéed spinach as well.
*This dish gets even better as it sits. I like to make mine a day in advance and reheat before serving.