This is how to cook beef shin in the oven at 400 to fall apart tender in a rich tomato sauce. Like a beef shank stew with vegetables meal. It’s similar to our Dutch Oven Oxtail recipe we all love it is a protein packed one pot dinner we all love.
Beef shins are quite easy to make into a delicious meal. A cheap cut of meat that has a rich beefy flavor and while slow cooked can soak up the gravy surrounding it. With carrots, celery, and seasonings you can serve it shredded as sliders or on top of mashed potatoes.
What is beef shin?
Beef shin, also known as beef shank, is a flavorful and versatile cut of meat that comes from the lower leg of the cow. It’s prized for its rich beefy flavor and tender texture when cooked low and slow. Cut from the lower leg of the cow, specifically the area between the knee and the ankle, it is a combination of meat, connective tissue, and sometimes bone marrow.
Known for its deep, beefy flavor and succulent texture when cooked properly. Braised beef shin is one of the most common methods by searing. Some like low and slow like our slow cooker Ossobuco Beef to make it super tender too.
This is delicious served with chunks of garlic crusty bread, mashed potatoes, or polenta to soak up the flavorful juices. You can also shred it like we do with our Pressure Cooker Shredded Beef and use it as a filling for pies, pastries, or sandwiches/sliders.
Ingredient Notes
Beef shins a.k.a beef shanks are slices of the upper part of the leg and often sold like you see here sliced into 1 inch pieces almost like steaks, served with the rich sauce it simmers in which is made of;
- Olive oil will be used to brown the meat before braising it low and slow to get it tender
- All purpose flour allows the sauce to thicken into more of a stew consistency
- Paprika will add a bit of color and flavor
- Salt and pepper are added for taste and might be added again at the end once served
- I like a sprinkle of cumin to punch up the flavors
- Onion can be sliced for larger chunks or diced will make them disintegrate into the sauce
- A carrot peeled and chopped will add texture
- Celery and garlic is literally added to all recipes
- Tomato paste will give it body and a stew like taste
- Bay leaves are optional if you like that flavor
- Add beef broth, or could do 1/2 cup red wine and 1.5 c. broth for deeper flavors for meat to submerge
Remember that Beef Shank with Bone needs a long cooking time to break down the connective tissues and just fall apart. Don’t be in a hurry when you make this.
How Long to Cook Beef Shins in Oven
After searing the outside, this Dutch Oven recipe will typically roast perfectly fork tender in the oven in about 120 minutes, or 2 hours. Of course this will vary depending on how large and thick yours are but in general this is a successful cook time.
Remove when the meat is tender enough to shred with 2 forks. Serve with the sauce covering it.
How to thicken the sauce
For thickening the sauce even more at the end you can remove the meat, heat your large Dutch Oven on stovetop over medium high heat. Once bubbling, allow to reduce and thicken. Or whisk together 1 tbsp cornstarch with some of the hot liquid, stir that in to thicken to your liking.
Beef Shin Recipe
Equipment
- 1 dutch oven
- 1 pan optional
Ingredients
- 3 whole beef shins, aka beef shank
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp all purpose flour
- 1/3 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 tsp cumin
- 1/3 tsp pepper
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1 stalk celery, sliced
- 3 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 large bay leaves
- 2 cup beef broth, or could do 1/2 cup red wine and 1.5 c. broth for deeper flavors.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F. Pour vegetable oil into a preheated frying pan and fry the shanks on both sides for 5 minutes over high heat. Then transfer to a plate. Over medium heat, fry the onions, carrots and celery, stirring.
- After 5 minutes, add flour and mix thoroughly. Add tomato paste, salt, spices and broth. Bring to a boil and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring.
- Transfer the beef shins to a Dutch oven or roasting pan. Pour in the sauce, add bay leaf and garlic. Cover with a lid and roast in the oven for 120 minutes.
- If there is not enough liquid, you can add a little water or broth so they are submerged. Remove when the meat is tender enough to shred with 2 forks. Serve with the sauce covering it.
- ** If you want the sauce thicker at the end you can remove the meat, set Dutch Oven on stovetop over medium high heat. Once bubbling, allow to reduce and thicken. Or whisk together 1 tbsp cornstarch with some of the hot liquid, stir that in to thicken to your liking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
FAQ
It is quite delicious if cooked correctly low and slow until it falls apart and is fork tender. We will show you here how to cook beef shin in the oven to make a sort of stew in a rich tomato sauce. Otherwise known as beef shank, this is a cheap cut of meat with or without a bone.
Not at all. Beef shins are a cheap cut of beef that is fork tender and wonderful if slow cooked or braised in a flavorful stew sauce.
