Meltingly Tender Red Wine Braised Beef Shanks
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.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 25 minutes
Makes: 4 servings
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.
Nutrition
Calories: 587kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 29gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 659mgPotassium: 766mgFiber: 2gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 5233IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 67mgIron: 3mg
