There’s nothing quite like a hearty and comforting braise and these Red Wine Braised Beef Shanks are the ultimate comfort food. They cook low and slow in the oven in a bold red wine sauce with fresh herbs until they’re fall-apart, melt-in-your-mouth tender! This is a great low-lift recipe for entertaining that will have your guests thinking you spent hours cooking.
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The Cut of Beef You’re Probably Overlooking
Unless you’ve made osso buco, you’ve likely not cooked with beef shanks. I’m here to tell you that’s an absolute shame because they’re incredible braised, aren’t overly fatty, have great beefy flavor, and they’re fairly economical in price!
Maybe you’ve only encountered them in a restaurant and have felt intimidated to make them at home, but no longer! Beef shanks are so simple to make at home and are a truly stunning and impressive dish. They’re great for holidays and dinner parties since each beef shank piece can be served individually.
My favorite part is that, because they’re cut across the shin bone (beef shanks come from the cow leg), you get an incredible cross section of bone marrow that just melts into the sauce. It adds a ton of flavor and makes the braising sauce incredibly rich and flavorful.
What is Braising?
While this may sound like an intimidating cooking term, it’s actually so straight forward and mostly hands-off! It’s a technique that I encourage everyone to learn because it produces truly the most delicious meals. I love braising so much that I even wrote the book on it!
Braising is a combination cooking technique that features both wet and dry heat. First, you sear the beef shanks for flavor and color and then you add liquid to the pot and transfer the covered pot to the oven. In the oven, the beef cooks slowly at a lower temperature. The end result is meat that absolutely falls off the bone.
Jenny’s Tips for Braised Beef Shanks
Try to find beef shanks that are all the same size. Look for beef shanks that are about 1 lb each. You want them to be similar in size so that they don’t crowd the pan and so they all cook at the same rate. They should be cut in the ‘osso buco’ style, across the bone, about 1 1/2 – 2″ thick.
Give the beef a nice, hard sear. Take your time here! Getting a nice, brown crust on the beef shanks only enhances their flavor later. If you’re worried about them curling, make sure to tie kitchen twine around the circumference to help the beef shanks hold their shape.
Use a large enough cooking vessel. This is super important! If you try and cram everything into a small pot, the beef will take much longer to cook and it’ll cook unevenly. Beef shanks cook best in a wide, shallow pan like a braiser or rondeau.
The braise is done when it’s done. Everyone’s oven and pan shape is different! Start checking the beef for doneness at 3 hours, but it might take a little bit more or less time than my suggested cooking times. Use visual cues to determine doneness as the beef will easily shred when it’s done.
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Key Recipe Ingredients
You can find the full list of ingredients, quantities & method in the recipe card at the end of the page.
- Beef shanks. You’ll want to look for beef shanks cut cross-wise through the bone in the ‘osso buco’ style that are about 1 1/2 – 2-inches thick.
- Veggies. We’re sticking with a classic mirepoix here of carrots, onion, and celery.
- Wine. I like to use something a little bolder like a Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Shiraz, Merlot, or Malbec. It doesn’t need to be expensive, but I like to choose something I would drink because you’ll have a little leftover and it’s always nice to cook with a glass of wine in hand. Very French.
- Herbs. Bay leaves (fresh if you can get them!), rosemary, and thyme pair so nicely with the red wine and beef.
- Flavor enhancers. I’m using tomato paste, dijon mustard, and beef bouillon paste to really add a lot of depth of flavor to the braising liquid.
- Beef stock. No need to break the bank here, any beef broth or stock will do.
How to Make Red Wine Braised Beef Shanks
- Season the beef shanks. You can get really liberal here with the salt and pepper. Make sure to coat the beef shanks well and let them sit for 30 minutes before cooking. This is optional, but tying a piece of kitchen twine around the circumference of each beef shank helps them hold their shape while cooking.
- Sear the beef shanks. Take your time here! Make sure your pan and the oil are nice and hot. Sear each side for 3-5 minutes, until the beef is deeply browned all over.
- Saute the veggies and aromatics. Once you’ve seared the beef, add in the carrots, onion, and celery to the pan. You’ll want to cook these veggies down until they’re soft and browned. Add in the garlic towards the end so it doesn’t burn while cooking.
- Build the braise. After the veggie are softened, stir in the tomato paste, dijon, and beef bouillon and the trick is to let it all cook for a few minutes, until the tomato paste has darkened in color, to really deepen the flavors. Then, you’ll stir in some flour and let it cook for another minute or two before stirring in the red wine and beef stock.
- Braise the beef shanks. Nestle the beef shanks into the braising liquid along with the herb bundle and bay leaves. I like to start the beef shanks in the oven covered, then at the end uncover them for just a bit so that the braising liquid reduces slightly and concentrates in flavor. The beef is done when it shreds easily and feels tender.
What to Serve with Braised Beef Shanks
Because this dish is so cozy and comforting, I’m a big fan of serving any braised dish over super creamy mashed potatoes or cheesy polenta. My creamy tomato orzo would also pair perfectly with the beef!
I also love a big salad on the side like my little gem caesar salad or my chopped Italian salad, to help balance out the richness of the braised beef shanks.
More Flavorful Braising Recipes to Try
If you do give this recipe a try, I love hearing about it! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram.
White Wine Braised Lamb Shanks
Beer Braised Carnitas
Coq au Vin Blanc
Chicken Scarpariello
Ginger & Soy Braised Beef
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Meltingly Tender Red Wine Braised Beef Shanks
Ingredients
- 4 beef shanks, cut osso buco style (1 1/2-2” thick)
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced small
- 2 medium carrots, diced small
- 2 celery ribs, diced small
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon better than bouillon beef paste
- 2 cups dry red wine, like Malbec
- 2 cup beef broth
- 2 fresh bay leaves
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prep the beef. Pat the beef shanks dry with paper towels. Tie a piece of kitchen twine around the circumference of each beef shank to help them keep their shape as they cook. Liberally season both sides of the shanks with salt and pepper, then let them rest for 30 minutes. Use a piece of kitchen twine to tie the rosemary and thyme into a bundle.
- Preheat an oven to 325 F.
- Sear the beef shanks. Heat the oil in a wine braiser over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, sear the beef shanks for 3-5 minutes per side, until deeply browned. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Saute the veggies. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are starting to brown. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Stir in the dijon, tomato paste, and beef bouillon paste and stir well so the veggies are coated.
- Build the braise. Sprinkle the flour over the top and stir to combine. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, then add the wine and beef stock. Stir well, season with salt and pepper, and then nestle the beef shanks in with the herb bundle and bay leaves.
- Braise the beef shanks. Cover the braiser with a lid and transfer to the oven for 2 1/2 hours. Remove the lid, flip the beef shanks over, and return to the oven uncovered for another 30 minutes to an hour (basting every 10 minutes with pan sauces), until the beef is very tender and easily shredded with a fork. Remove from the oven, cover, and let the beef rest in the juices for 20 minutes. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper and serve right away.
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