This Braised Beef Shanks recipe with Tarragon Gremolata is so easy to put together, all you need is time to slow cook the shanks in the oven in red wine and it comes out so flavorful. I love this hearty dish, because the meat is so tender, and the collagen rich broth from the marrow and bones is also so savory and nutritious.
If you're looking for another recipe with a different cut of meat, I have a similar recipe where I braise short ribs in apple cider and top it with a rosemary gremolata and this Filipino beef kaldereta is another noteworthy short rib recipe!
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What are beef shanks?
Beef shank cuts come from the leg of a cow and can be a tough cut of meat, which is why the best way to cook beef shanks so they're tender is to braise them slowly for a long period of time. The connective tissue becomes collagen in the broth, and the bone marrow in the bone adds depth of flavor and nutritional benefits.
Ingredients
- Beef shanks: Once braised slowly, the meat will fall off the bone and become so tender. It will eventually lose its shape as it braises, but if you want to keep the pieces intact, you can tie the sides of the beef shank with kitchen twine before cooking. If you cant find beef shanks, you can substitute with chuck roast, short ribs, or oxtail. Or make this an Italian osso bucco dish by using veal shanks.
- Red wine: There's no need for your most expensive bottle here. Preferably any dry red wine will do. I typically have one I like to drink one as well. If you only have white wine around, you can use it as a substitute as well. A pinot noir for example would work perfectly.
- Broth: We're using beef broth but you can use chicken broth as well.
- Fresh herbs: We're using thyme for this recipe, but you can use rosemary.
- Tarragon Gremolata: Gremolata is an Italian garish that consists of parley, lemon zest, salt, and parsley. In this recipe, we're adding tarragon.
See full list of ingredients and quantities in the recipe card.
How to cook beef shanks
- Preheat oven to 325F and season the beef shanks generously with salt and pepper.
If you have the time, season as early as you can up to a few hours ahead (or at least 30 minutes ahead). This will allow the salt to be absorbed into the meat and will also tenderize it. When it's ready to cook, pat each each piece with a paper towel.
2. Heat oil in a large dutch oven on medium-high heat then in batches, sear the beef shanks on each side without interruption until they become golden brown. Depending on how large your dutch oven is, you may have to do 1 or 2 shanks at a time, about 4 minutes each side. Place the shanks on a plate.
3. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and garlic into the pot and saute for about 7-10 minutes on medium heat. Then add in the tomato paste and mix with the vegetables.
4. Pour wine and scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the dutch oven. Add in the beef shanks, thyme, bay leaves, and broth making sure there is enough cooking liquid covering the meat. Turn up the heat until it boils, then turn off the stove, cover the pot and transfer to the oven for 3 to 3 and a half hours. Until the meat is very tender and comes off easily with a fork.
5. Skim off the layer of fat with a spoon and remove thyme sprigs. Note: if you do this a day ahead and refrigerate it overnight, you can skim off the solidified fat easier.
Optional: If you want to thicken the sauce, Remove the meat and bones and place them on your serving dish. Let the flavorful braising liquid simmer on low heat on the stove so that it reduces and concentrates in flavor for about 10 minutes.
6. Make the gremolata by mixing in the grated garlic, chopped tarragon, lemon zest and parsley.
7. To serve, add the tender beef and bone marrows in a serving dish, pour over the sauce and sprinkle the gremolata.
Storage And Reheating Tips
- Make this in advance: If I know I'm having people over, I like these braised beef shanks 1-2 days before so that I can easily remove the fat that hardens on the surface when it's chilled. The meat also has more time to marinate in the sauce absorbing all the flavor.
- Storing: You can store it in the dutch oven if you have enough space in your refrigerator. Just make sure that it cools before placing it in. You may also use an air tight container to store. You may also freeze this up to 3 months.
- Reheating: simply place the dutch oven back on the stove on medium heat. Heating it up on the microwave will work well too.
What to Serve With This Dish
- Something to soak up the flavorful sauce, like rice, mashed potatoes, or creamy polenta.
- Serve it with vegetable side dishes, like this endive radicchio salad or charred cabbage with anchovy butter.
- You can make a shepherd's pie with the leftover meat by adding the shredded short rib meat.
Variations of Braised Beef Shanks
- You can use white wine instead of red wine.
- You can use different fresh herbs like fresh rosemary of fresh thyme.
- You can use chicken broth instead of beef beef broth.
If you tried this Braised Beef Shanks with Tarragon Gremolata, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know what you think in the📝 comments below. I'd love to hear from you!
Braised Beef Shanks with Tarragon Gremolata
Equipment
Ingredients
Beef Shanks
- 4 lbs beef shanks
- kosher salt
- black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 medium carrots chopped
- 3 celery ribs chopped
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cups red wine
- 5 cups beef broth
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 2 bay leaves
Tarragon Gremolata
- ½ cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1 tablespoon tarragon chopped
- 2 garlic cloves grated
- zest of 1 lemon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C) and season the beef shanks generously with salt and pepper.If you have the time, season as early as you can up to a few hours ahead (or at least 30 minutes ahead). This will allow the salt to be absorbed into the meat and will also tenderize it. When it's ready to cook, pat each each piece with a paper towel.
- Heat oil in a large dutch oven on medium-high heat then in batches, sear the beef shanks on each side without interruption until they become golden brown. Depending on how large your dutch oven is, you may have to do 1 or 2 shanks at a time, about 4 minutes each side. Place the shanks on a plate.
- Add the onions, carrots, and celery and garlic into the pot and saute for about 7-10 minutes on medium heat. Then add in the tomato paste and mix with the vegetables.
- Pour wine and scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the dutch oven. Add in the shanks, thyme, bay leaves, and broth making sure there is enough cooking liquid covering the shanks. Turn up the heat until it boils, then turn off the stove, cover the pot and transfer to the oven for 3 to 3 and a half hours. Until the meat is very tender and comes off easily with a fork. Then skim off the layer of fat with a spoon and remove thyme sprigs.Note: if you do this a day ahead and refrigerate it overnight, you can skim off the solidified fat easier.
- While the shanks are cooking, make the gremolata by mixing in the grated garlic, chopped tarragon, lemon zest and parsley.
- Option to strain and reduce the sauce: if you want to thicken the sauce, Remove the meat and bones and place them on to your serving dish and let the flavorful braising liquid simmer on low heat on the stove so that it reduces and concentrates in flavor for about 10 minutes.
- To serve, add the beef and bone marrows, pour over the sauce and sprinkle the gremolata.
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Jeff from Sonoma, CA says
I’ve made this recipe three times now. Each time the final dish was a hit. With 30-minutes remaining, I’ve varied the dish just slightly to great results. Following the recipe according to the recipe, I’ve added either one can of rinsed chickpeas, halved fingerling potatoes or one cup of orzo pasta. I forego the gremolata as we are not fans of the flavor of tartagon. I serve it with freshly grated Pecorino-Romano cheese…delicious. Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe! It’s a keeper!
Jeff from Sonoma, CA says
I’ve made this recipe three times now. Each time the final dish was a hit. With 30-minutes remaining, I’ve varied the dish just slightly to great results. Following the recipe according to the recipe, I’ve added either one can of rinsed chickpeas, halved fingerling potatoes or one cup of orzo pasta. I forego the gremolata as we are not fans of the flavor of marjoram. I serve it with freshly grated Pecorino-Romano cheese…delicious. Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe! It’s a keeper!
Dawn Lopez Ona says
Excellent recipe! A must try. This recipe for Braised Beef Shanks with Tarragon Gremolata was just as good, if not better, than what I had in Paris.
Newel Tasting Table says
Thank you! I'm so glad you loved this recipe!