Beef Shanks

By á-2799

Ingredients

• 8-10 beef shanks
• 1/2 c flour
• 3 onions
• 28 oz can whole tomatoes
• 2 tsp ea thyme, oregano and fennel seeds
• 2 cans (10 oz) chicken or beef broth
• 8 sun dried tomato halves, packed in oil
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/3 c balsamic vinegar
• Topping
• 1 c chopped parsley or basil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp grated orange or lemon peel.

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

Nick edges of shanks to prevent curling during cooking. Place flour in plastic bag. Coat a large wide frying pan with oil and set over medium heat. Add 2 to 3 shanks to flour and toss to coat, then shake off excess flour. When oil is hot, add shanks to pan. Cook until browned, 3-4 min per side. Then place in a roasting pan large enough to snugly hold shanks in one layer. Repeat with remaining shanks, cooking in batches so pan isn't crowded. Add more oil as needed. Save leftover flour.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 300. Thinly slice onions, then set aside. Place canned tomatoes in a large bowl. Using your hands or a potato masher, coarsely break up tomatoes. Stir in seasonings and 1 can broth. Thickly slice sun-dried tomatoes, then stir in.
When all shanks are removed, add butter to pan. When melted, add onions. Stir often until soft, 5 min.
Add vinegar and stir until some of the liquid is absorbed, 1 min. Sprinkle in leftover flour and stir to mix. Gradually stir in remaining can of broth. Add tomato mixture and stir often until hot, 2 min. Pour over shanks.
Cover roasting pan with a tight fitting lid Roast, occasionally turning shanks until meat is fork tender and almost coming away from bone, 3-4 hrs. If you prefer a thicker sauce, remove shanks to a bowl. Pour sauce into a large pan. Boil over high heat, stirring often, until as thick as you like.
In a small bowl, stir parsley with garlic and orange peel. Sprinkle over shanks just before serving.