Beef shanks are rarely in any home chef's dinner rotation. They're too expensive and slow to cook. Not a great combination. Yet they're becoming interesting again and why not. They do have an amazing flavor that works well with spices.
New contributor and food blogger Cathy Erway wrote about this almost forgotten cut of beef in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section beef shanks are a desirable cut to those who love them.Its part of a cow's leg which is already a hard working limb. They're strewed with sinew and tendon which become incredibly soft and gelatinous after a long slow braise.Dishes made with it are often memorable.It has an intense beefy flavor, rich and savory with an unami taste. Yet despite all this they're hard to find in any grocery store.Chinese chefs, that use the shanks on a regular basis have to go to small buthder shops to acquire the cut. Richard Ho, chef and owner of Ho Foods, a Taiwanese beef noodle shop in Manhattan heads to small , family owned meat shops to get this cut. He finally settled on the Brooklyn based Ends Meat that specializes in selling all the parts of an animal.Northern Italian restaurants also use it in their famed dish osso buco.
Other cuts of meat get a lot more attention because they're;e perfect for turning into steaks.European cuisine rarely uses them but Asian ones like Thai routinely cook with them. They're also more of an economical cut,perfect for restaurants looking to be more cost efficient. Then there''s slow cooking.Most cuts fall apart but the shanks can hold up to any amount of cooking time. This is due to the slippery wisps of collegen connecting the muscle meat in neat slices that present well. That collegen enriches and thickens any soup ro even curry. Popularity could drive up the price of this lowly cut first served to Taiwanese soldiers courtesy of the US Army. It was also popular with the Mogul Indians too. MS.Erway also include a recipe for them. She uses fragrant Asian spices and herbs such as lemongrass, star anise and cinnamon stick. Galengal , a cousin of ginger is used for heat. (although fresh ginger root can be used too)A sweet and savory curry goes with it , made from massanman curry. The shanks are better bought at an Asian grocery store like H-Mart.
Beef shanks are having their day, They may be the cheapest of cuts but have the richest for flavors. Try them in a soup ro curry to enjoy their flavor.
Posts
