Red Wine Braised Beef Shanks With Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Submitted by kitchengrrl

"My husband went shopping at the halal (like kosher) meat market and brought back beef shanks, which I'd never worked with. After searching around for what I could do with them, I ended up augmenting a recipe that seemed to have been a synopsis of a recipe demonstrated on Emeril's show. I made some changes and boy howdy! Husband says I can make this every night! I could just eat the potatoes and gravy and be quite happy. For dessert, I served baked apples with a raisin/nut/spice stuffing. The recipe is written for stove/oven braising, but I will be trying this next time on the low setting of my crockpot. I'm sure it will work quite nicely, perhaps even better. This is a really homey dish, but has dinner party taste and can be prepared in the morning and left to cook all day while you get ready."

 

• Ready In: 4hrs 30mins
• Ingredients: 26
• Serves: 4-6

ingredients

• 4 (6 ounce) beef shanks, about
• enough olive oil, to form a 1/8 inch layer in pan
• 1 cup flour, seasoned with
• salt
• black pepper
• 1 tablespoon hot paprika
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 -2 chopped red onion
• 2 stalks diced celery
• 2 diced carrots
• 2 diced parsnips
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary
• 2 pints baby portabella mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
• 1 cup red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon recommended)
• 2 quarts beef stock or 2 quarts other dark stock
• 3 -4 tablespoons cornstarch (if necessary)
• 1⁄4 cup chopped Italian parsley

• For mashed potatoes

• 12 yukon gold potatoes, chopped with skins on
• 1 head garlic, roasted and chopped
• 1⁄4 cup butter, diced
• salt and black pepper
• 1 -2 tablespoon rubbed sage, to taste
• 1⁄3 - 1⁄2 cup half-and-half

directions

1. If the shanks have a white membrane around the outside, slit that membrane from top to bottom all around the meat to prevent curling during cooking.
2. Season the beef shanks with salt and pepper.
3. Dredge the beef shanks in the seasoned flour, coating each side completely.
4. When the oil is hot, sear the beef shanks for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until brown on all sides.
5. Remove the shanks and set aside.
6. Add the onions to the pan and saute for 2 minutes.
7. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Add the celery, carrots and parsnips, and continue to saute for 1 minute.
9. Season with salt and pepper.
10. Stir in the garlic and herbs.
11. Cook for 1 minute.
12. Deglaze the pan with the red wine, scraping the bottom and sides to loosen the browned particles.
13. Add the stock and mushrooms.
14. Bring the liquid up to a boil and reduce to a simmer.
15. Add the beef shanks and continue to cook for about 2-4 hours, basting the shanks often, or until the sauce is stew-like and the meat starts to fall off the bone.
16. You can leave it to simmer on the stove, or put the whole pot into a 300 degree oven.
17. Season with salt and pepper if needed.
18. If sauce is not thick enough, add cornstarch mixed with sauce from stew.
19. About half an hour before you are ready to serve, make the potatoes.
20. Boil and drain the potatoes.
21. Add seasonings and butter, then about 1/3 c half and half.
22. Mash to desired consistency, adding more cream as necessary.
23. To serve, mound garlic mashed potatoes in the center of the plate.
24. Lay a beef shank beside the potatoes and spoon some of the gravy over the top.
25. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Reviews

[Spankie]

This is an amazing recipe, and my favorite for Beef Shank Steaks. We've had it several times. I only change the directions slightly due to our preference for firmer vegetables. After searing the shanks (and before the onions), I saute the carrots, parsnips and celery for just a couple of minutes. I then remove them to be added later; then I continue with the rest of the directions. When I can't find good quality fresh herbs (or to reduce my prep time), I use 2 teaspoons each of dried thyme and rosemary. I use a fat free beef stock or beef broth. I cook mine in the oven at 300F, adding the reserved sauted veggies for the last hour. And I use the leftover seasoned flour mixed with water to thicken the gravey (instead of corn starch). I highly recommend this recipe.