Recipes
Spiced Braised Beef Shanks
Beef, It’s What’s for Dinner
Succulent, rich, and satisfying, this spiced braised beef shanks recipe from Le Creuset is the perfect choice for a home-cooked family meal everyone will love. Using a Dutch oven allows you to brown and bake in one pan, for easier prep and cleanup. The enameled cast iron construction of the Le Creuset Dutch oven lets you braise the meat on the stovetop without burning or sticking. The lid locks in moisture and helps steam the spices for flavorful, tender, melt-in-your-mouth results.
Spiced Braised Beef Shanks
Ingredients:
- 6 pieces beef shanks
- Salt and pepper
- Harissa spice blend
- Canola oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 cups dry red Zinfandel or Syrah wine
- 2 bay leaves
- Chicken or beef stock as needed
- 18-24 small carrots, with tops, scrubbed and trimmed
- 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- Zest of one orange
Spice Blend:
- 1-1/2 tsp. ancho or chipotle chili powder
- 1 tsp. coriander seeds
- 1 tsp. cumin seeds
- 1 tsp. caraway seeds
- 1 tsp. black mustard seeds
Equipment:
- Dutch oven
- Knife and cutting board
- Measuring spoons and cups
- Pinch and prep bowls
- Salt and pepper mills
- Wooden spoon or saute spoon
- Mortar and pestle
- Tongs
Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Prepare spice rub by toasting whole seeds in pan until fragrant and grind along with chili powder in spice grinder, coffee grinder, or mortar and pestle.
Season beef shanks liberally with salt and pepper, then dust with spice rub on both sides. Heat Dutch oven over medium-high heat adding 3 tbsp. of oil. Brown meat until dark brown on both sides, about 4-6 minutes per side. Remove to a plate.
Sweat onion, celery and garlic over medium heat until onion is translucent, then add tomato paste and cook until slightly darkened. Add wine, scraping all brown fond from pan, and simmer until reduced by 1/4, about 10 minutes.
Add beef shanks back to pan along with bay leaves and enough stock to come about 2/3 of the way up the meat, it should not be covered. Close lid and place in oven, cooking for 2-1/2 hours until very tender. Add carrots, cover, and place back in oven for an additional 20 to 30 minutes.
Remove shanks and carrots to warm plate and cover loosely with foil. Remove bay leaves and any other solids with slotted spoon, discard. Skim fat from sauce and reduce further if necessary, it should coat a spoon. Turn off heat and swirl in butter.
Mix parsley and zest together, serve shanks and carrots with sauce and garnish with zest mixture.
