Natural beef shank

Natural beef shank, in units of roughly 385 g at $31.28/kg — about $12.04 a piece. No hormones, no antibiotics. This is the osso buco cut and the best stock base there is: meat, bone and marrow in the same piece.

What is beef shank?

A slice of leg, with the marrow bone in the middle. It is a hard-working muscle, so it is firm and full of collagen — impossible to grill, unbeatable braised. Cut across, it gives the rounds you know from osso buco; the marrow in the centre is eaten with a spoon.

Natural Québec beef

Our cattle are raised without hormones or antibiotics on our family farm in Huntingdon. On a cut that gives the dish its broth, how the animal was raised reaches the plate very directly.

Taste and nutrition

The frankest beef flavour at the counter: a working muscle, so a great deal of taste and very little intramuscular fat. High in protein and collagen, and one of the cheapest cuts for feeding a table.

How to cook beef shank

There is one way, and it is easy:

• Brown the floured slices on both sides in a hot casserole.
• Come halfway up with stock and white wine, plus onion, carrot, celery, garlic and tomato.
• Braise covered, 2½ to 3 hours at 160 °C, until the meat leaves the bone.

Never boil it hard and never grill it — those are the only ways to ruin it. For stock, cover with cold water and hold at a bare simmer for 3 to 4 hours.

Serving and pairing

As osso buco, over risotto or polenta, with gremolata — chopped lemon zest, garlic and parsley — to lift the whole dish. As stock, strain and freeze it: that is your sauce base, your soup and your fondue broth for the winter.

Beef osso buco

Flour 4 shank slices, season, and brown them in olive oil. Set aside. Soften 1 chopped onion, 1 carrot and 1 celery stick. Deglaze with 250 ml white wine, reduce by half, add 400 g chopped tomatoes and 250 ml stock. Return the meat, cover, and cook 2½ hours at 160 °C. Serve with gremolata and polenta.

Beef shank price and ordering

• Regular price: $31.28/kg — about $12.04 per piece (estimate on 385 g)
• Weight: units of roughly 385 g
• Sold by weight: the final price at checkout reflects the actual weight
• Product number: 1184035
• Sold frozen
• No hormones or antibiotics, raised in Huntingdon, Québec
• Where to buy: delivery across Québec and Montréal by refrigerated truck, free from $225. Farm pickup at 62 York Street, Huntingdon.