Shanks A Lot

Yesterday I was zipping through the grocery store and spotted a delightful cut of meat, that is not found on a daily basis.  Beef shank.  It's the cut of meat sometimes labeled "soup bone".  It has a round shaped bone in the center and is full of marrow, which is what makes it a treasure.  Jam packed with flavor, richness and silky texture beef shank makes tasty soups and braises beautifully.  It is a tougher cut of meat and therefore works best to cook it the larger portion of a day.  Great in a crock pot, or if you are hanging around the house for the day, the enamel cast iron pot (color orange) is perfect!  I worked today, so I opted for the crock pot.  I seasoned the shanks generously with kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper, covered them in a blanket of sliced onion (one whole), about a cup and a half of dry red wine, a couple cloves of fresh chopped garlic, three carrots in chunks, a few bay leaves, a cup or two of beef stock, a healthy tablespoon of organic chili paste (I knew I would find a use for it) and topped it all off with a large can of whole tomatoes.  I set the pot to high and left it that way for 8 hours.  Towards the end, I did add a can of cannellini beans because I wanted to get a little more volume (these shanks were a little on the small side).  What it becomes is amazing, the meat melts away from the bone, velvety texture and flavor like you would not believe, layers of flavor actually.  Serve over rice, mashed potatoes or egg noodles.  I decided on mashed potatoes for tonight.  Super comforting food.  Try this one for yourself, your family will shank you for it :)