The beef shank : two tasty versions
The thousand faces of the beef shank: aka Beef Hammer
We start from the assumption that the Beef Hammer is a very important and difficult cut of meat to cook, as it is a very large piece of the animal and that we are used to eating with long cooking in the oven, at restaurants or at fairs which often have with large ovens and a lot of time, it also requires long cooking to be soft.
Having said that, the beef shank aka hammer steak comes from the hindquarters of the bovine and usually, if cut into slices, is offered as meat for "ossibuchi": a typical dish of northern cuisine. This is why, if left whole, it becomes a demanding cut of meat in terms of "tonnage" and quantity, and is therefore rarely used. However, the beef shank, often unobtainable whole in Italian butchers, is loved by true American barbecue enthusiasts, who call it Beef Hammer (or hammer) because of its shape, which resembles that of a giant hammer. It is a cut of beef that requires long and expert cooking, but if cooked properly the beef shank, also known as Hammer Steak, offers infinite gratification - especially for carnivorous diners -!
Furthermore, the beef shank, like the veal shank or pork shank, is often cooked in the oven by grandmothers or expert cooks, at a low temperature and for a long time, or it can be smoked and prepared on the barbecue, served in slices or shredded like pulled pork. Let's see then, two preparations for cooking: one on the BBQ and one in the oven.
BBQ Beef Hammer and Baked Beef Shank
Ingredients for both recipes
- 1 beef shank weighing approx. 2.5 kg
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 2 sprigs of rosemary
- 2 glasses of white wine
- extra virgin olive oil to taste
- pepper as needed
- aromatic herb salt to taste
Ingredients for marinating beef shank
- sweet paprika to taste
- garlic powder to taste
- black pepper to taste
- alternatively use the full RUB best-beef-rub-61
BBQ beef shank procedure
Like any good self-respecting BBQ meat, marinating is one of the most important phases. We oil our beef shank and cover it with the spices we have decided to use - or the complete RUB - if we want we can add a little bit of worchester sauce and let it rest in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours.
We remove the shank from the refrigerator and let it rest for an hour outside the refrigerator. In the meantime, let's prepare the barbecue grill: charcoal and a few pots of aromatic wood will create a synergy of aromas and a wonderful smoky scent.
Once the temperature has been reached around 150°, we place our Hammer Steak on the grill trying to set a slow and indirect cooking time of around 2.5 hours. Once the two hours have passed, we wrap the shank in foil and continue cooking until it reaches a temperature of approximately 95°C. inside of.
Once cooked, remove the meat and let it rest for about 30 minutes without touching it. Now our Beef Hammer is ready! Cut it into slices or break it into pulled pork-style pieces and serve hot with a sauce of your choice.
Baked beef shank procedure
If the day doesn't call for the grill or for last minute unexpected events we can also cook the Beef Hammer in the oven with the same setting we prepared for the BBQ.
For baking in the oven, after marinating it with RUB or your favorite spices, simply place it in a buttered and oiled pan, salt it, pepper it, add the rosemary sprigs and half a glass of white wine. If you want to add an extra touch of flavour, insert some diced potatoes into the pan: they will absorb all the sauce.
Turn on the fan oven at 180°, insert the tray and remember that the cooking will be very long but the result will be satisfactory. Once cooked, serve sliced or shredded with a side of potatoes.
