Garlic-braised Beef Shanks

Total Time: 4 hrs 25 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 4 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 6 beef shanks (1 1/2-inch-thick, 6 lbs)
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 3/4 cups reduced-sodium beef broth (14 fl oz)
• 2 cups water
• 4 large heads of garlic, 1/4 inch of root end cut off and discarded to expose cloves
• 2 slices fresh lemon zest (4-inch-long)
• 8 fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 turkish bay leaves (or 1 california)
• 3 celery ribs, cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
• 3 large carrots, cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (to taste)
• parchment paper
• celery leaves

Recipe

• 1 put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°f.
• 2 pat shanks dry and rub all over with salt and pepper.
• 3 dredge shanks in flour, turning to coat. heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then brown shanks on all sides in 3 batches, adding 1/2 tablespoon oil if necessary, 5 to 6 minutes per batch.
• 4 transfer shanks to a large roasting pan.
• 5 add broth and water to skillet and bring to a boil, scraping up brown bits.
• 6 nestle garlic (cut sides down), zest, thyme, and bay leaves with celery and carrots around shanks in pan and add broth mixture. cover surface with a sheet of parchment paper and tightly cover pan with foil. transfer to oven and braise until meat is very tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
• 7 skim off and discard fat from cooking liquid and cool mixture completely, uncovered, about 1 hour, then chill, covered, at least 6 hours.
• 8 preheat oven to 350°f (leave rack in middle position).
• 9 skim off and discard any remaining fat from surface of pan juices and reheat shank mixture, covered, in oven, turning shanks over once, 1 hour.
• 10 discard bay leaf, thyme sprigs, and zest. transfer shanks and vegetables with garlic to a serving dish and keep warm, covered.
• 11 if pan juices measure more than 3 cups, boil in a cleaned 12-inch skillet until reduced; if less, add water. squeeze garlic pulp from 1 head into pan juices, discarding skin, and whisk to incorporate.
• 12 add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
• 13 pour sauce over shanks and serve, along with vegetables and remaining garlic heads.
• 14 cooks' note: braised shank mixture can be chilled, covered, up to 2 days.