Port Braised Beef Shanks

There are certain cuts of meat I always pick up when they are available, like beef shanks. It’s one of those items that you don’t see used too much, but it’s relatively inexpensive and tasty. The shanks are perfect for making a “comfort food dinner” that incorporates our homemade stock and works great for leftovers. This dish is inspired from New Scandinavian cooking’s Braised Lamb Shanks” by Andreas Viestad.

Ingredients:

2 lbs beef shanks
2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup port wine
1 red onion, sliced
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
2 bay leaves
4 oz mushrooms
2 cloves garlic chopped
2 rosemary sprigs
½ tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tbsp fresh grated horseradish
handful dried chanterelle mushrooms (optional)
1 tbsp peanut oil
1 tbsp butter

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven, then add the onion, carrot, mushrooms, and rosemary, allowing them to sweat for just a few minutes. Next pour in the port wine, stir and cook an additional couple minutes. Heat the oven to 325 F.
Pour in the stock, then add the shanks, salt, pepper, bay leaves, pepper flakes, and garlic, then bring to a boil. Next place into the oven, covered, for 90-120 minutes stirring every 30 minutes.
Once the shanks are cooked remove them from the Dutch oven and place them on a cutting board to rest, move the pot back to the stove, add the dried mushrooms, and start reducing the broth. Once it’s significantly reduced and has a nice brown color, add the butter, and mix well, check for salt and pepper.
Remove the bones from the shanks and cut them into 3/8”-1/2” slices, then lay over whatever starch you like, I use “Mashed Root Vegetables” for this normally, but potatoes or rice work too. Spoon the gravy over top, sprinkle on some grated horseradish, and its done!