Veal shank is a tough cut of meat that benefits from long, slow cooking methods such as braising and stewing. Osso bucco is a popular Italian dish featuring veal shank, while veal stew with root vegetables is another option. Marinating and cooking in the oven is also effective. Avoid dry heat methods like broiling and frying.
Veal shank comes from just below the knee of a calf and is prepared in a variety of ways. Although veal is generally the most tender form of beef, shank has a reputation for being tougher than other cuts of veal. Preparing cuts such as shank using long, slow, moist methods makes the meat tender and results in a wide variety of popular dishes. Because of its toughness, most chefs recommend avoiding preparing cuts of veal using methods that involve dry heat such as broiling, broiling, or frying.
Braising is one of the simplest ways to prepare veal, as it allows the meat to cook at low temperatures for several hours within a cured liquid bath. This type of low, slow cooking allows the fat content along with tough connective tissue like collagen and elastin to melt into the meat, resulting in more tenderness. Osso bucco, a traditional Italian dish featuring less tender cuts of veal along with wine, tomatoes, and vegetables, is a popular Brazilian veal shank recipe. The process begins by browning the meat in a Dutch oven, adding any additional ingredients, and simmering on the stove until done. There are many variations of osso bucco, each of which requires the dish to be simmered and cooked over low heat for at least two to three hours to reach the desired level of tenderness.
Another effective way to prepare veal shank is the simple stewing process, which also benefits from long, slow simmering. Using a slow cooker or large Dutch oven, pre-seared veal is slowly stewed in a beef stock for the better part of a day until tender. This method is a flexible way to prepare veal, as any number of ingredients can go into the pot along with the meat. Veal stew with root vegetables is a popular dish as is a simple slow cooker roast with thickened roux gravy. Flourishing and browning the meat before braising will lock in the flavor and prevent the juice from escaping.
In general, any moist preparation method that allows the veal shank to cook slowly at low temperatures will produce good results. In addition to stewing and braising, the shank can also be marinated and cooked in its own liquid in the oven. Placing veal, herbs, and water in an ovenproof plastic bag and cooking for two or more hours results in a tender veal roast with gravy. Optionally, replace the water with red wine or beef stock and add vegetables to the bag to make a complete veal shank meal.
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