Chinese Braised Beef Shank Recipe

Boneless, skinless chicken breast, ground beef, pork chops. Repeat.

If you’re tired of having the same old cuts of meat and are looking to venture out a little bit, beef shanks are a great starting point. 

What are beef shanks?

Beef shanks are a horizontal cut from the front legs of a cow. This cut has a large bone in the center and is surrounded by big pieces of meat. Inside the bone you’ll find bone marrow, which turns brown as it cooks. I personally think it is one of the best parts of the shank!

Because this cut is not as popular, it will often be very inexpensive. This makes beef shanks a very budget-friendly cut of beef. 

Your local grocery store may have it, but Hispanic and Asian markets will definitely have it available for purchase.

What cooking method should I use to cook beef shanks?

Leg cuts are going to need low and slow cooking methods because those muscles are used frequently. As a result of all the physical activity, the meat will have plenty of connective tissue. 

Using moist heat preparation methods allows the tough meat to break down and tenderize. Some examples are utilizing the braising process, putting meat in a slow cooker, or using a pressure cooker or instant pot. 

This leaves you with beef that falls off the bone. YUM!

As you simmer the bones, collagen will render down and release gelatin. This gives desserts and chilled beef stock its “wiggle”, or jellylike consistency. 

Health benefits of beef shanks

Beef shanks are an amazing source of collagen, which is the main component of connective tissue. 

Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body and helps to build your bones, skin, muscles, tendons and ligaments. It also plays an important role in digestive health. 

As you get older, the amount and quality of the collagen you produce will change as well. This is one of the reasons why skin begins to sag and get less supple over time. 

A diet full of high quality proteins helps to ensure that you are getting the right amino acids to produce collagen. Beef shanks specifically have high levels of proline and glycine, which aid in collagen production and maintenance.

One of the functions of glycine is to make elastin, which is a structural protein that allows your blood vessels to expand and contract. So if you have high blood pressure, you may want to think about adding more glycine into your diet!

Beef shanks will also have key minerals that promote bone health, such as magnesium and calcium. 

Magnesium helps to support healthy bone formation and aids in the prevention of osteoporosis. 

Calcium comprises almost 99% of bone tissue, and is essential for many processes within the body such as muscle contraction, nerve transmission and bone health. 

Has our diet changed?

The food our ancestors ate was different in a lot of ways. Not only has our soil quality changed, but the nutrition within our diets have also changed dramatically too. 

Our ancestors used to eat the entire animal from head to toe. Nutritionally, this meant that they were getting much more collagen than a typical diet has now. Gelatin was also more abundant in the “less desirable” cuts.

Some of the best food sources of collagen are oxtails, chicken gizzards, chicken feet, pork hocks/shanks, pig feet, beef or pork cheeks, knuckle bones, lamb shanks, gelatinous broth, and beef shanks. All of these require a low and slow cooking method. 

What do I eat beef shanks with?

I like to eat braised beef shanks with some steamed bok choy, rice and chili oil. You can also pair the cooking liquid with a nice toasty loaf of bread. 

Or for a more popular dish top a bowl of noodles with this to make beef noodle soup! The braising liquid will honestly complement any carb very nicely.

Remember that collagen is not a complete protein, which means that it does not contain all essential amino acids. You’ll want to pair foods together to create a more balanced amino acid profile. 

For example, you may want to pair a collagen source with a lean protein source. In this recipe, both the collagen source and lean protein source is the shank. But if you were having chicken breasts for dinner, you might want to include some wiggly broth on the side to round out your meal.

Conclusion

This Chinese style beef shank is my version of comfort Chinese food. 

I know that cooking with unfamiliar cuts of meat may sound intimidating, but I promise you that it is so worth it! Not only are beef shanks super affordable, but they are also packed with healthful benefits. 

I hope you give this recipe a try and let me know what you think!

If you liked this post, be sure to check out my Asian Air Fryer Whole Chicken Recipe or my Bò Lúc Lắc (Shaking Beef) Recipe!

NOW I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Did you grow up eating the “undesirable” cuts of meat?

What is your favorite way to cook these collagen rich cuts?

Let me know by leaving me a comment down below!