Red Wine Braised Wagyu Thor’s Hammer
Cook Time
5 hours
Yield
3-4
RECIPE Ingredients
- 1 Wagyu Thor's Hammer shank
- Kosher salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- Neutral oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon anchovy paste
- ½ bottle dry red wine (375ml), we used Cabernet Sauvignon
- 4 ounces Veal Demi-Glace
- 16 ounces beef stock or broth
- Water or additional beef stock, as needed
- Bouquet garni made with thyme, parsley, and rosemary
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Recipe notes
Thor’s hammer is a show-stopping cut of mythic proportions that is best served braised or smoked. Enjoy the robust beefy flavor of our long-bone Wagyu shank simply braised in red wine which will beautifully perfume your kitchen and enchant your dinner guests. When the beef shank is cooked, the meat contracts to reveal more of the marrow bone. Present the cooked shank on the bone – either sauced or sauce on the side. It will be so tender that everyone can pull beef off without the use of a carving knife.
RECIPE Preparation
- Preheat oven to 360°F.
- Tie 2 lengths of butcher's twine around the circumference of the shank, knotting securely. Season all sides liberally with salt and pepper.
- In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add 3 tablespoons neutral oil and heat until shimmering. Sear the shank on all sides until deep chestnut brown in color, remove to a plate and set aside.
- To the same pot, add onions, celery, carrots, and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Sauté until vegetables start to soften and garlic is fragrant, about 6 minutes. Add tomato paste and anchovy paste, stirring to coat vegetables; cook for about 3 minutes more.
- Stir in wine, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom and sides of the pot. Bring mixture to just a boil. Stir in veal demi-glace, beef stock, and add bouquet garni. Add shank back to the pot. The liquid should reach at least halfway up the sides of the shank, if not add additional beef stock or water. Cover and move to the oven.
- Braise until the shank is tender and pierces easily with a fork, occasionally rotating the meat to cook evenly on all sides and basting with the red wine mixture, about 3 to 4 hours. If the liquid is evaporating too much while cooking, add additional stock or water.
- Uncover the pot, remove bouquet garni and discard. Add red wine vinegar. Continue to cook until sauce is thickened, shank is browned and has a nice crust, about 40 minutes more.
- Before serving, skim excess fat off the surface of sauce if needed. If you prefer a thicker sauce, transfer the shank to a platter and tent with foil before reducing the sauce on the stove top over high heat, until desired thickness. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Remove butcher's twine before presenting on the bone, napped with sauce.
