Braised Beef Shank (Jarret de Veau)
A classic French braise: beef shanks seared until golden, then slow-cooked in red wine and aromatics until fork-tender. Rich, deeply satisfying comfort food that fills your kitchen with warmth.
- Total time
- 180 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 520
- Protein
- 58g
Ingredients
- 4 pieces (about 3 lbs total) beef shanks (cross-cut, about 2 inches thick)
- 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, peeled and halved
- 2 medium carrot, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
- 2 cups dry red wine
Instructions
- 1
Set the oven to 325°F and wait until the indicator light or beep signals it has finished heating, about 10 minutes.
- 2
Pat each beef shank completely dry with paper towels, pressing gently to remove surface moisture so they brown better.
- 3
Sprinkle 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper evenly over all four sides of each shank, coating the entire surface.
- 4
Pour 3 tablespoons olive oil into a large heavy pot or Dutch oven and place it over medium-high heat for 90 seconds until the oil shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pot.
- 5
Place two beef shanks into the hot oil and leave them undisturbed for 4 minutes until the bottom turns deep brown, then flip them over and brown the other side for 4 minutes.
- 6
Transfer the seared shanks to a clean plate and repeat step 5 with the remaining two shanks, searing 4 minutes per side.
- 7
Return all four seared shanks to the pot, stacking them as needed—they do not need to sit flat.
- 8
Add the halved onion and 2-inch carrot chunks to the pot, scattering them around and between the shanks.
- 9
Pour 2 cups red wine into the pot until it reaches about one-third of the way up the sides of the shanks; do not submerge them completely.
- 10
Cover the pot with its lid and slide it into the 325°F oven for 3 hours, leaving it undisturbed so the meat braises gently and becomes fork-tender.
- 11
Remove the pot from the oven and carefully lift a shank with tongs—it should shred easily when pressed with a fork; if it still resists, return it to the oven for 30 more minutes.
- 12
Discard the halved onion pieces and transfer the shanks to a serving platter, leaving the braising liquid and carrots in the pot.
- 13
Pour the braising liquid with the carrots over the shanks and serve immediately while the meat is still hot and steaming.
Tools you’ll need
- large heavy pot or Dutch oven (5-quart or larger) with a fitted lid
- paper towels
- medium tongs
- wooden spoon
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- serving platter
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