Beef Shank

Name: Beef shank — the cut from the lower leg of the cow, a tough, lean, collagen-rich cut with a marrow bone, which becomes silky and tender with long cooking. It is used in soups, stews and braises.

Description

The shank (or shin in Britain) is a heavily worked muscle, with lots of connective tissue, which makes it one of the toughest and also one of the most flavourful cuts. Slow cooking transforms the collagen into gelatin, which gives braises and broths a rich, silky body. The marrow bone in the middle of cross-cut shanks adds even more flavour.

Beef shank is used for Vietnamese pho and Chinese braised dishes, in Italian osso buco (traditionally veal), in Mexican and Latin American soups, and for stock and consommé. It is inexpensive and makes a lot of rich stock.

Main nutrition value

Beef is a rich source of high-quality protein, highly absorbable haem iron, zinc, vitamin B12, selenium and niacin, with the amount of fat varying by cut. Shank is lean, but the marrow bone and cooking liquid add fat, and the gelatin provides collagen protein.

How best to be consumed

Beef shank needs long, slow, moist cooking.

1. Brown the shanks, then braise with onion, wine, stock and herbs for 3 to 4 hours, until the meat falls from the bone.
2. Simmer in soups and broths, such as pho and Mexican caldo de res.
3. Use the marrow, spread on toast, if you enjoy it.
4. Shred the cooked meat for tacos, stews and pies.
5. Skim the fat from the cooking liquid, or chill it and lift off the fat.

Overconsumption could cause…

Beef shank is healthy in moderation.

1. Higher risk of bowel (colorectal) cancer with regular high intake of red meat, which the World Health Organization's cancer agency classifies as probably carcinogenic, so many health bodies advise keeping red meat to about 350 to 500 g (cooked weight) a week.
2. Raised LDL cholesterol and heart disease risk from the saturated fat in fattier cuts, skin and processed products, so choose lean cuts and trim visible fat. This applies to the marrow and cooking fat.
3. Iron overload in people with haemochromatosis, an inherited condition, since the haem iron in red meat and offal is well absorbed.
4. Gout flare-ups in people with gout, since meat and especially organ meats are high in purines.

GroupsBeefMammals (red meat)High proteinLow sodiumRich in seleniumRich in vitamin B12Rich in zincFresh

Related foodsBeef SirloinBeef FilletBeef TenderloinVealBeef Flank SteakCorned Beef

Wikipedia — Beef shank, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beef_shank