A Portuguese Azorean dish from the Hotel do Colégio on the island of Sao Miguel.
Braised Beef Shanks with Warm Spices
Serves 4
1 tsp. black peppercorns, cracked
1 tsp. whole Allspice Berries
6 whole cloves
Two 3-inch cinnamon sticks
Two Turkish Bay Leaves
Tie these into a cheesecloth pouch, set aside.
A six ounce chunk of slab bacon, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 thick center-cut beef shanks (about 3 1/2 lbs total)
Kosher salt and freshly gr. black pepper
Olive oil, if needed
2 large yellow onions, diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 1/2 cups beef stock or store-bought low-sodium broth
2 cups dry red wine
2 Tablespoons dark molasses
Heat a large oven-proof pot with a tight fitting lid over medium-low heat, until hot. Add the bacon and render the fat and crisp the meaty bits, about 10 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels. Raise the heat to medium-high, season the shanks well with salt and pepper and sear until very brown, about 5 min. per side. Don't skimp-deep browning gives the dish more flavor. Transfer to plate and set aside.
Lower the heat to medium, add oil if needed and cook onions until softened, add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
Heat over to 350°
Add the stock, wine, molasses, and 1 tsp. salt to the pot and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, return bacon, beef , and any accumulated juices to the pot and nestle in the spice pouch.
Cover and braise the beef in the oven, turning several times until fork tender, 3 1/2 to four hours.
Discard any rubbery bits still clinging to the meat and toss out the spice pouch. If necessary, reduce the cooking liquid over high heat to about 1 1/2 cups. Skim fat from the sauce and season with slat and pepper to taste.
Divide the meat, and bones with marrow among four bowls and ladle the sauce on top. This is nice served over mashed potatoes, noodles or rice.
**My Notes...not long after you put this into the oven, you begin to smell the warm spices. It soon fills up your whole house with the lovely smell.
This is from "The New Portuguese Table " which has many of the foods my Portuguese grandmother used to make.
Braised Beef Shanks with Warm Spices
Serves 4
1 tsp. black peppercorns, cracked
1 tsp. whole Allspice Berries
6 whole cloves
Two 3-inch cinnamon sticks
Two Turkish Bay Leaves
Tie these into a cheesecloth pouch, set aside.
A six ounce chunk of slab bacon, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 thick center-cut beef shanks (about 3 1/2 lbs total)
Kosher salt and freshly gr. black pepper
Olive oil, if needed
2 large yellow onions, diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 1/2 cups beef stock or store-bought low-sodium broth
2 cups dry red wine
2 Tablespoons dark molasses
Heat a large oven-proof pot with a tight fitting lid over medium-low heat, until hot. Add the bacon and render the fat and crisp the meaty bits, about 10 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels. Raise the heat to medium-high, season the shanks well with salt and pepper and sear until very brown, about 5 min. per side. Don't skimp-deep browning gives the dish more flavor. Transfer to plate and set aside.
Lower the heat to medium, add oil if needed and cook onions until softened, add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
Heat over to 350°
Add the stock, wine, molasses, and 1 tsp. salt to the pot and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, return bacon, beef , and any accumulated juices to the pot and nestle in the spice pouch.
Cover and braise the beef in the oven, turning several times until fork tender, 3 1/2 to four hours.
Discard any rubbery bits still clinging to the meat and toss out the spice pouch. If necessary, reduce the cooking liquid over high heat to about 1 1/2 cups. Skim fat from the sauce and season with slat and pepper to taste.
Divide the meat, and bones with marrow among four bowls and ladle the sauce on top. This is nice served over mashed potatoes, noodles or rice.
**My Notes...not long after you put this into the oven, you begin to smell the warm spices. It soon fills up your whole house with the lovely smell.
This is from "The New Portuguese Table " which has many of the foods my Portuguese grandmother used to make.