Yesterday I invited my friend/colleague/neighbor Caitlin (Grass-Fed Girl) over for dinner to enjoy some grass-fed beef shanks I snagged from Marin Sun Farms at the farmer's market over the weekend. These bad boys looked SO good with their meaty shape and their big marrow bone sections, I just couldn't pass them up. Plus, at around $5-6 a pop (I think they were in the 7-8oz range raw), they're pretty economical as well. We ate them paired with some kale sautéed in coconut oil, gluten-free mustard mixed with fresh horseradish (I used Bubbie's brand) and some Farmhouse Kraut.
Crockpot Braised Beef Shanks
Yield: Approximately 3 servings.
Click herefor estimated nutrition facts.
Ingredients
2 large grass-fed beef shanks (the ones I used were around 7-8oz each raw)
4 large cloves of garlic, smashed
a splash of red wine (or you can try balsamic or apple cider vinegar if you don't want to use or don't have red wine)
1-2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
Sea salt (I like Redmond Real Salt) to taste
cracked black pepper to taste
Homemade broth to cover the meat around 1/2 to 3/4 of the way up (roughly 1-3 cups depending on how much you fill your crockpot. I used chicken stock and it was still very cold so there are some chunks floating in the picture to the right.)
1 Tbsp virgin coconut oil
2-3 cups of raw kale, rinsed & roughly chopped
1/4 Tsp onion powder (optional)
Sea salt to taste
Preparation
- Place all ingredients in your crock pot on low for around 4-6 hours until the meat is tender and falls apart easily with a fork.
- When the meat is nearly done or is just keeping warm in the crockpot, place the coconut oil in to a large cast iron skillet and then cook the still-damp kale over medium heat until it's softened. It's okay to put the kale into the pan with some water on it so that the kale half steams and half sautées to cook.
Serve with gluten-free mustard mixed with horseradish and a side of raw sauerkraut to enjoy it as we did.
Variations
- You can also braise lamb shanks with this method.
- If you don't want to use wine, try using some balsamic, apple cider or red wine vinegar.
- Add different aromatic herbs to the mix before cooking for a change of pace- cinnamon can be a fantastic and surprising flavor to add.
- Add root vegetables to the pot to braise with the meat (be sure the liquid is covering everything 1/2-3/4 of the way up)
Comments 17
This looks really good, especially the marrow. I’ve made two crockpot meals this week and both were pretty good ( a whole chicken & sirloin )however this meal looks even better. I’m seeking new slow-cook paleo recipes so if you have more to share please keep’em coming. The crockpot is quickly becoming my favorite kitchen appliance.
Another thing that might go well with this is catnip (fresh.) It aids in digestion, and gives a nice low note with the beef. I am going to double the rosemary in the recipe, and add more wine – that is my favorite part of the whole recipe!
Rock on! I don’t typically measure much for something like this- so go for it! Sounds great.
One downfall about traveling is not having a crockpot… BOO!
Diane, after I read this I went out and bought a lamb shank. It’s going in the crockpot tonight 🙂 🙂
Oh, and I also order a sauerkraut maker. If I’m going to eat this every day, $8 for a tiny container is ridiculous.
WOO HOO! 🙂
Diane, This is so funny! I just did a random search for “beef shanks braised.” I ended up at the recipe above after rejecting quite a few others. I was reading the ingredients (kale and coconut oil, for god’s sakes) and was thinking, “She really knows what she’s talking about.” A scroll down revealed your picture!!!! Made me laugh. Good work!!! Happy that Google searches are serving you!
Hope all is well. xoxo laura (from Bauman)
Ha! That’s awesome 🙂 Glad you found it- let me know if you make it- so easy and delish! Great to hear from you.
Awesome paleo recipe. I made this one yesterday. Nothing better than coming home from work to the smell of beef in a crock pot!
do you put the kale in the crockpot with the meat?
I probably just cooked it on the side.
I probably just cooked it on the side.
Greetings!! What other cuts of beef would be good with this recipe?
Greetings!! What other cuts of beef would be good with this recipe?
Pingback: menu monday: eating from the freezer | fastlife, slowlife
Pingback: A Quick and Easy Meal
Pingback: A Beautiful Fall Walk