Beer Braised Grass-Fed Beef Shank with Caramelized Onions
by Peter Berley
Serves 8 to 10
Ingredients
Salt
6 pounds beef short ribs and/or beef shanks
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large bottle (1 pint, 9.4 fluid ounces) Belgium Abbey Ale
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
3 pounds onions, peeled and thickly sliced
1 quart chicken or beef stock or water
- If time allows, presalt the meat at least 8 hours—or up to 3 days—before cooking to help tenderize and season it: rub the meat all over with ¾ teaspoon kosher salt per pound (this helps tenderize and deeply seasons the meat). Place the meat on a platter, cover loosely with paper towels, and refrigerate at least overnight or for up to 3 days. (If not pre-seasoning, no need to salt the meat now, you can salt the braise later).
- Preheat the oven to 300˚. Pat the meat dry with paper towels. In a large, heavy flame proof casserole over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the meat (you may need to work in 2 batches), and reduce the heat to medium-low. Brown the meat slowly, turning, until it is golden brown on all sides, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the browned meat to a platter.
- Pour off the fat and return the pan to medium heat. Pour in the beer and bring to a boil, stirring to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Add the meat back to the pan, sprinkle with the peppercorns, and cover with the onions. Pour in the stock or water. If you did not pre-salt the meat, salt to taste (about 4 teaspoons salt).
- Bring the liquid to a simmer, then cover the meat with a round of parchment paper or a heatproof plate that is smaller than the diameter of the casserole. Braise in the oven, turning the meat several times, until it is meltingly tender, 3 to 3 1/2 hours.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the meat and onions to a large, deep serving platter, and cover with foil to keep warm. Place the casserole half over a burner over high heat, skimming the fat that collects on the cooler side of the pan, until the sauce has reduced by half. Pour the skimmed, reduced sauce over the meat and serve.
Spicy Crushed Rutabaga
Serves 8 to 10
Ingredients
Salt
5 to 6 pounds rutabaga (about 6 medium), peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Procedure
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the rutabaga and boil until they can be easily mashed against the side of the pot with a spoon, about 30 minutes. Drain and return to the pot.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cayenne and cook until the garlic is softened but not browned, about 2 minutes.
- Add the seasoned butter to the rutabaga and mash with a potato masher until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.
