Sous Vide Beef Shank (7 Easy Steps for Juicy Shanks)

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The average beef shank is a cheap and affordable cut of meat. But how do you make it taste good?

It’s time to use your sous vide! Sous vide beef shank is tasty. It turns into an inexpensive cut into a flavorsome meal. 

And it doesn’t require you to pay too much attention… Why not give it a go next time you’re looking for a new beef dish? This guide will show you how to create tender sous vide beef shank in no time. 

Beef shanks we sous vide, then placed in the oven

What Is A Beef Shank?

A beef shank comes from the leg and has it has a lot of connective tissue this cut of beef needs to be cooked slow and low. There are two main types of beef shank. The front and the rear.

Front shanks are smaller and more tender. 

The rear shank is tougher and perfect for being cut up or ground. Making them ideal for sous vide!

Different dishes need different cuts of meat. Always be sure to check what type of shank your recipe calls for. 

Other cuts that could be called for include; deboned shank meat, hind shanks, and fore shanks. Crosscut beef shanks are great if you’re making beef stock or dishes such as Osso Buco. 

What Is Sous Vide?

Sous vide is a technique where food is slowly cooked at a low and steady temperature. The process involves vacuum sealing the food in a plastic pouch or jar. Sous vide translates to “under vacuum” in French.

After vacuuming, the pouch or jar is placed in a type of water bath. It is then cooked at a precise temperature over a period of time. 

Sous vide is a wonderful way to cook beef shanks because it allows them to become moist, tender, and full of flavor. Without sous vide, it is difficult to make beef shanks tender otherwise. If you’re looking for more smoked beef ideas, there are dozens more recipes.

Meat falling off the bone after sous vide

Step To Sous Vide Your Beef Shank

The process of sous vide beef shank is relatively simple. 

Step 1: Prepare Your Shank

Make sure you trim the tendon from the bottom of the shank. Then give it a rub with your seasoning to tenderize it, then create your marinade. Combine, soy sauce, olive oil, a dash of wasabi,  lime, juice, chopped garlic, salt, and pepper. Note if your using steak you can sous vide it from frozen.

Step 2: Prepare Your Sous Vide

Fill your pot with water and attach your sous vide, then set your temperature. For a fall off the bone, texture set it at 175°F and to achieve a texture like a steak, set it to 136°F

Step 3: Vaccum Seal The Shanks

Place meat in a vacuum-sealed bag with the marinade and seal shut. (While you can use a glass jar, they are more suited to desserts or cooking grains.)

Step 4: Cook Your Shanks

Place the sealed bags in the water and clip the bag to the side of the pot. If you’re going for steak texture, you want to cook for 48 hours at 135° and if you’re going for the fall off the bone texture 18 hours at 175°F 

Step 5: Preheat Your Oven

Place your oven on its highest setting

Step 6: Remove The Meat

Take your meat out of the water bath and remove it from the bag and pat dry.

Step 7: Roast Your Shank

Place the beef shank on a tray and roast for 18-25 minutes. Then remove it, let its rest for 10-15 minutes, and serve.

The beef shanks after sous vide and the oven

Sous Vide Beef Shank Recipe

beef shank sous vide

Sous Vide Beef Shank

Charlie
Using a sous vide for beef shanks ensures that end up juicy and the meat is falling off the bone!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 18 hours
Total Time 18 hours 10 minutes
Course main, Main Course
Cuisine dinner, lunch
Servings 4 people
Calories 628 kcal

Equipment

  • sous vide

Ingredients
  

  • 4 whole beef shanks

Marinade

  • 4 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 tbsp lime juice
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp wasabi
  • sea salt
  • cracked pepper

Instructions
 

  • Make sure you trim the tendon from the bottom of the shank. Then give it a rub with your seasoning to tenderize it, then create your marinade. Combine, soy sauce, olive oil, a dash of wasabi,  lime, juice, chopped garlic, salt, and
  • Fill your pot with water and attach your sous vide, then set your temperature. For a fall off the bone, texture set it at 175°F and to achieve a texture like a steak, set it to 136°F
  • Place meat in a vacuum-sealed bag with the marinade and seal shut. (While you can use a glass jar, they are more suited to desserts or cooking grains.)
  • Place the sealed bags in the water and clip the bag to the side of the pot. If you’re going for steak texture, you want to cook for 48 hours at 135° and if you’re going for the fall off the bone texture 18 hours at 175°F 
  • Place your oven on its highest setting
  • Take your meat out of the water bath and remove it from the bag and pat dry.
  • Place the beef shank on a tray and roast for 18-25 minutes. Then remove it, let its rest for 10-15 minutes, and serve.
Keyword beef shank, sous vide beef

Some Our Favorite Beef Shanks Recipes

Here is a list of some great cooked beef shank recipes for you to try: 

Beef shank cuts are also very popular in many Korean dishes.

So if you don’t have access to sous vide or decide it isn’t for you, there are still plenty of uses for the beef shank. 

How Long to Sous Vide Beef Shanks

If you’re looking for a dish to cook quickly, sours vide beef shank may not be the one for you.

Sous vide beef shank is best cooked over a long period at a low temperature. 

While setting it up may take a little bit of preparation. Once that’s out of the way, you can put your feet up and let it do its thing. 

The cooking time for sous vide beef shank varies depending upon what you’re after. 

For traditional results cook between 156-176 degrees for a few days. 

If you are interested in more of a steak-like texture aim for 136 degrees for 48 hours. 

If you choose to marinade beforehand, you will need a couple more days to let it sit excluding cooking. 

Other Foods You Can Sous Vide?

Here is some other food you can sous vide

Here are some ideas for your next meal. 

Flavor

As an ordinary chunk of meat, the beef shank is not particularly exciting.

But, by making it sous vide it can have outstanding flavor, similar to meat smoking, its low and slow

Cooking it with sous vide gives the connective tissue in the shank to breaks down, giving it a moist, juicy and beefy flavor. 

If you are looking to give it something extra season or marinade the shank beforehand.

Not only will this bring out more flavors in the meat, but it will also help it to become more tender. 

Cost

Beef shank is relatively inexpensive and is one of the cheaper cuts of meat you can purchase. 

Sous Vide cookers are the main cost of doing sous vide beef shank. 

But, you can do many dishes sous vide including; sous vide salmon, beans, custards and cakes.

This could make it a worthwhile investment if you enjoy the slow cooking method. 

Sous vide beef shank is a great dish if you’re looking for something low in hassle. It doesn’t require expensive cuts of beef and it can be left to its own devices. 

Next time you’re considering Korean takeout, put the menu down. 

Why don’t you wow your guests with your creation? Trust us, sous vide beef shank is worth the wait. 

Is sous vide beef shank a staple at your family dinner? 

Smoke On!

Charlie

Hi, I’m Charlie, I have been meat-smoking and grilling for the past 15 years. I have an array of different smokers, thermometers, and have a love for finding the right wood and charcoal combo My favourite recipes are my EXTRA CRISPY smoked pork belly, juicy pulled pork, smoked brisket, duck poppers, and ANY SEAFOOD I grill).

I loves sharing his tips with beginners, helping them navigate the world of smoking. I find it’s not just about cooking; it’s a quest for that perfect smoky flavor.

You will usually find me playing with the kids, perfecting my brisket bark, or sipping beers with boys around the fire. Can’t wait to share all my delicious smoking and grilling recipes with you!

You can read more about me on our About Us page.

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