Attempt at braised venison shanks
12-09-2013, 05:05 AM
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 118
Attempt at braised venison shanks
Well sometimes you win some and sometimes you lose some. This time it was an epic FAIL!
Here's what I tried:
Two venison shanks - seared on each side.
Removed from pan, added 1 onion, 2 celery stalks, rosemary sprig, bay leave, 2c red wine, 4c beef broth, 2 cloves garlic and simmered until onions were translucent. Added shanks and simmered for another 5 minutes.
Added the whole mix to a roasting pan, covered with tin foil and put in a 250 degree oven for 1 hour.
After 1 hour I took it out, turned the shanks over and returned to the oven for another hour.
According to the recipe 2 hours should have done it. After 2 hours my shanks were as tough as shoe leather! So I thought it may need another hour to 'break down'. Another hour in the oven and it was no different. The whole thing went in the trash.
So the family had a vegetarian night (ugh).
Has anyone braised shanks with any success? Tips, tricks, or different recipe?
Here's what I tried:
Two venison shanks - seared on each side.
Removed from pan, added 1 onion, 2 celery stalks, rosemary sprig, bay leave, 2c red wine, 4c beef broth, 2 cloves garlic and simmered until onions were translucent. Added shanks and simmered for another 5 minutes.
Added the whole mix to a roasting pan, covered with tin foil and put in a 250 degree oven for 1 hour.
After 1 hour I took it out, turned the shanks over and returned to the oven for another hour.
According to the recipe 2 hours should have done it. After 2 hours my shanks were as tough as shoe leather! So I thought it may need another hour to 'break down'. Another hour in the oven and it was no different. The whole thing went in the trash.
So the family had a vegetarian night (ugh).
Has anyone braised shanks with any success? Tips, tricks, or different recipe?
Last edited by jcrobra; 12-09-2013 at 05:43 AM.
12-10-2013, 02:51 AM
#2
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: the woods of NJ.
Posts: 5,643
Here's mine
If I have a lamb shank or lamb bone I add it for flavor
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or deep ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Brown Shanks and remove to plate. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and season with 2 teaspoons salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and just beginning to brown, about 20 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste, mix well and cook until the tomato paste darkens, about 3 minutes.
Lay Shanks in a single layer, over the vegetables in the Dutch Oven. Add wine and enough stock to surround but not cover the shanks and bring to a simmer. Transfer to the oven. Braise the shanks, uncovered if not browned first, turning every 30 minutes or so, until the meat is fork tender, about 2 hours. (The meat will brown during the final stages of braising.) Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for about 15 minutes to allow the fat to rise to the surface of the sauce. Transfer the meat to a plate.
Skim the fat from the surface of the braising liquid. Strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing down on the vegetables with a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the vegetables. Degrease the sauce again if necessary and return to the Dutch oven. Simmer the sauce until reduced by about half. Return the shanks to the sauce, and warm gently over low heat. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a warm serving dish and serve.
If I have a lamb shank or lamb bone I add it for flavor
- 2 tablespoons evoo
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 large carrot, chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 8 whole cloves of garlic
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 shanks (about 1 1/2 pounds each)
- About 4 cups chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
- 1 cup Red Wine
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or deep ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Brown Shanks and remove to plate. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and season with 2 teaspoons salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and just beginning to brown, about 20 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste, mix well and cook until the tomato paste darkens, about 3 minutes.
Lay Shanks in a single layer, over the vegetables in the Dutch Oven. Add wine and enough stock to surround but not cover the shanks and bring to a simmer. Transfer to the oven. Braise the shanks, uncovered if not browned first, turning every 30 minutes or so, until the meat is fork tender, about 2 hours. (The meat will brown during the final stages of braising.) Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for about 15 minutes to allow the fat to rise to the surface of the sauce. Transfer the meat to a plate.
Skim the fat from the surface of the braising liquid. Strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing down on the vegetables with a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the vegetables. Degrease the sauce again if necessary and return to the Dutch oven. Simmer the sauce until reduced by about half. Return the shanks to the sauce, and warm gently over low heat. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a warm serving dish and serve.
