Meet The Cheapest and Most Delicious Cut of Meat!
If you can get your hands on beef shank, get it. Either cook it right away, or put it in the freezer for later: two shanks cost approximately $4, and feed four people with sides. It's one of those hidden gems that people don't cook often because they don't know how. But if you know the basics of braising, you can cook a shank.
Beef shank is a cross-section of the leg, and it's very tough. It takes 4 hours to cook, but it is so full of flavor! As I said, it is tough, so requires a few hours. But the wait is worth it.
You braise beef shank like you would any other red meat: brown it, sauté aromatics, add seasonings and enough liquid to cover by 2/3, and simmer for a few hours. It should be falling off the bone.
I like to serve it with mashed potatoes, but butter noodles would work as well. It's rich; so you want sides that can stand up to it. Consider cheesy vegetables.
The exact same recipe can be used for lamb shank as well: lamb has a little more gamey flavor, but braising turns it into a lovely meal.
- Annabelle
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