Speckle Park Cook Book Glossary

Shank

Shank

The shank is the lower part of the foreleg or hind leg, and it is one of the toughest, most sinewy cuts. It also holds the most collagen of any beef cut, which dissolves into gelatin and makes dishes silky and deeply savoury.

Cross-cut shanks include a round of marrow bone at the centre, a prized bonus. The foreshank is usually cheaper and the hindshank meatier. Look for slices about 4 to 5 cm (1½ to 2 in) thick, with the bone intact and a good ring of meat around it.

Shank is among the cheapest cuts you can buy, yet it makes some of the most impressive meals.

Techniques

Shank needs time and moisture. Sear the slices, then braise them in wine, stock and tomatoes for about three hours until the meat slides off the bone. This is the Italian osso buco method, and the marrow is scooped out and eaten with a small spoon or spread on toast.

For broth, shank is hard to beat. A long simmer of two to four hours extracts gelatin and flavour, giving a body that bones alone rarely achieve. Whole shank pieces are often used for Vietnamese pho and Chinese braised beef, and the cooked meat is then sliced for serving.

A pressure cooker cuts the cooking time to about 75 minutes. Cook until the meat is completely tender, then skim the surface fat before serving.

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