All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. (Beef Shin)
The Shining! The Shin-ing! Shin! Beef Shin! The funny jokes are the ones you have to explain.
I took a hankering for short ribs the other day, but they’re a pain in the tits to acquire in this town. Beef shin, on the other hand, are ten a penny. They’re actually 3 decent sized chunks for £5.50 but who’s counting? Also known as the shank, it’s a cut of beef taken from the lower leg. The shin is a highly worked muscle that is supported by high levels of connective tissue. Meaning she’s a chewy madam so will need cooked low and slow.
I’m a big fan of meals you can piss about with for 10 minutes then leave to cook for hours. It feels like maximum payout for minimum effort. Beef shin is perfect for this. There’s a wee bit of kerfuffle with this but it’s worth it.
The meat becomes tender and flavorful as it simmers in a mixture of aromatic vegetables, herbs, red wine and beef stock. The dish is often served with mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, or crusty bread to sop up the delicious sauce. This hearty and comforting dish is a crowd pleaser and is perfect for a cosy night in. Tonight I made it with garlic mash and OYF it was tasty.
Slow-roasted beef shin with garlic mashed potato and red wine jus
Ingredients:
1kg beef shin
olive oil (a decent glug)
butter (you’ll need about 100g in total)
1 large onion, roughly chopped
3 celery stalks, roughly chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
1 teaspoon of dried rosemary
2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
about half a bottle of red wine
about a litre of beef stock
a whole bulb or garlic, the root end chopped off
cream, single or double - whatever you’ve got - and you want a big glug
You’ll also need a lidded pan that you can transfer into the oven. I’ve got a KitchenAid one from Amazon! This is an affiliate link to the one I have!
Method
Stick the oven on at 170 to preheat.
In your pan heat the olive oil up to sear the beef shin. Have the pan on medium-high. Salt and pepper both sides of the shins and then sear for 3-4 minutes on each side.
While those are frying off prepare your veg and stick it all in a bowl with the herbs.
Remove the seared shins from the pan and set aside on a plate. They’ll be fine sitting out while you get on with the veggies. Reduce the heat under the pan to medium-low and add about a tablespoon of butter then add the veggies and fry off for a couple of minutes. Add a decent pinch of salt and pepper. Add the tomatoes and let them heat through for a minute or 2. Turn your pan back up high.
Let the pan get hot for a minute then add the Worcestershire sauce and stir through then add the red wine and stir through. Let it come up to a simmer and let it reduce by half. It’ll take 5-10 minutes.
Once you’ve got about half the amount of wine-y liquid add the shins and any juices from the plate back into the pan then cover with beef stock. You might not need all the stock. Give everything a gentle stir, you want the shins to be in an even layer near the top of the pan.
Put the garlic into the liquid cut side down. You want about the bottom third of it in the liquid. Move to the oven and leave it in there for 2 and a half hours.
Prepare your potatoes so they’re ready to turn on to boil and go enjoy 2 and a half hours of freedom.
150 minutes later put your potatoes on to boil. Switch your oven off and remove the pan and put back on the hob. Remove the lid and leave it to cool down for 5 minutes. Be very careful, if you’re anything like me you’ll go into autopilot and try to move the pan or lid with your hand and that means mega-ouchies.
Remove the garlic and set aside. Sometimes the cloves fall out so you might have to fish them out the pan. Then carefully remove the shins (they’ll probably be at the point where they’re going to start falling to bits) and stick on a plate while you organise your jus.
Use a slotted spoon to remove as much of the carrot, celery, onion and tomato as you can. You don’t need these anymore so leave them to cool then throw out/eat them secretly when you’re waiting for your potatoes to cook. Use a bowl and sieve to strain the last of the veggies and herbs out of the liquid. You want a bowl of smooth liquid and a pan with no veggies or herbs, as clean as you can make it.
Return the liquid back to the pan bring to a simmer. You want to reduce to a thick liquid, sort of like double cream, probably reducing by about 70%. It’ll take 10-15 minuted but keep an eye on it as it goes from watery to thick to burnt in about 5 seconds.
While your jus is thickening put about 2 tablespoons of butter in a pan with a big glug of cream (dealer’s choice on how buttery and creamy you make your mash) and heat up. Add a big pinch of salt and pepper and the cloves from the garlic bulb. You can either squeeze them out of remove them from the bulb. Use the potato masher to smash up the garlic into the cosy butter and cream. Once your potatoes are ready drain and air dry them for a minute then return to their pan and begin mashing them. Add your cream/butter/garlic mic and mash, mash, mash like your life depends on it. Use a flat wooden spoon to whip them up a bit of you’re feeling fancy.
Once your jus has reduced add a couple of tablespoons of butter and whisk in. Once the butter was melted you’ll have a glossy, thick, smooth jus. Add your shins into the liquid and coat them with the jus.
You’re ready to stuff your face! I put a volcano-shaped potato pile and full with the beef and add with the glorious red wine jus. Top with chives if you’re feeling fancy.
Just call me Nigella like.
