Osso Buco

Since buying our cow I've been learning how to cook unfamiliar cuts of beef like meaty shank, chuck roll, chuck steak, stew meat, cross rib roast, and bottom round roast.  As I try out recipes I'll be posting the good ones here.

The chuck, brisket, round, and shank are the most exercised muscles and therefore, the toughest. Cuts from the chuck are the least tender and are best suited for moist heat cooking methods such as braising/pot-roasting, stewing, or steaming.  

Osso Buco
adapted from Paleo Nick's Osso Buco.

Ingredients:

2 - 3 lbs grass-fed, bone-in, meaty shank
1 cup mire poix, diced (1/2 cup onion, 1/4 cup carrot, 1/4 cup celery)
2 tablespoons fresh, minced garlic
1 cup diced organic tomatoes
4 cups homemade bone broth or organic, gluten-free beef broth
zest of one orange
sea salt, to taste
olive oil

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a dutch oven or slow-cooker, or cast iron skillet.
2. Season shanks with salt and sear them in oil.  Allow shanks to brown generously on all sides.
3. Remove shanks and reduce heat to medium.
4. Add mire poix to pan and deglaze, stirring regularly for 30 seconds.
5. Add tomatoes, broth, garlic, & zest and bring to a boil.
6. Add shanks to broth and vegetables.  Stir to cover meat.
7. Cook on low for 4-6 hours.