- 6
Ingredients
- 4 whole pork shanks, 2 1/2 to 3 pounds each
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 large carrot, trimmed and chopped
- 1 large onion, quartered
- 3 cups Mixed Meat Stock or Chicken Stock
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 2 branches fresh rosemary
- 6 fresh sage leaves
- 1 cup dry white wine
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Pat the shanks dry with paper towels and season them generously with salt and pepper. In a flame-proof roasting pan large enough to hold the shanks comfortably, heat 4 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat, using two burners if necessary. Add the shanks and cook them, turning often, until well browned on all sides, about 12 minutes. Transfer the roasting pan to the oven and roast 30 minutes, turning the shanks with a pair of sturdy tongs occasionally.
Remove pan from oven, place the shanks aside and heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the carrot, onion, garlic, rosemary and sage, season lightly with salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. Tilt the roasting pan and spoon off excess fat. Pour in the wine and 2 cups of the stock. Return the pan to the oven and roast, turning and basting the shanks occasionally, until the meat is very tender and its surface is nicely caramelized, about 2 hours.
Remove the shanks from the roasting pan. Strain the contents of the roasting pan into a bowl. With a wooden spoon or ladle, mash the vegetables in the sieve, then force as much of them as possible through the sieve. Skim all the fat from the surface of the liquid. Return the shanks and liquid to the pan. Roast, basting the meat with the sauce occasionally until the sauce is syrupy and forms a rich glaze on the meat, 10 to 15 minutes.
There should be about 3/4 cup. To serve, hold the shank by the bone with a towel and with a carving knife cut 1/4-inch-thick slices parallel to the bone, turning the bone until all meat is off. Arrange the slices on a platter and drizzle the sauce over them.