Elk Shanks

treillw

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Elk Shanks. Bird food or worth messing with? Ossobuco?

What do you do with them?

Thanks!
 

Laramie

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This is very good.
 
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the above link is a great way to turn shanks into a real treat..
I usually trim and freeze all my shanks and neck meat first thing before any outer skin hardens, while its still fresh. Once thawed the shanks go into a slow cooker for 8 hours w beef broth and beer. After 8 hours the shanks will simply fall apart. Pick out any unwanted bits and make pulled elk sandwiches w bbq sauce or make lil street tacos w pulled elk.
 

Ucsdryder

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Osso bucco. That being said, 4 shanks at a time plus a couple animals a season makes for way too many. They make terrible burger. Coyotes need to eat too.
 

rclouse79

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Try this and you would never dream of leaving them in the field. Buy a tin roasting pan for a turkey. Add shanks, onion, beef broth and what ever spices you want. After the shanks are covered by the liquid put foil over the top and put it in the oven at 325 for 8 hours. When you pull the shank out the meat will literally fall off the bone. All of the tendons and connective tissue are pretty much jelly. I separate out as much of it as I can. Sometimes I add a little taco seasoning to the meat. Put the meat in small batches into a hot cast iron pan with some olive oil and leave it until it browns on one side. I made a huge taco spread with mule deer shanks last week that was devoured by kids and adults alike.
 
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Slather them with olive oil, salt, and black pepper.

Grill them hot to sear and lightly char.

Place in a large stock pot or roasting pan with liquid to cover.

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer for at least several hours.


I did these overnight. I was really after the bone broth for this occasion but the meat was exceptionally good.

Shredded shanks fried quick in a skillet and doused with Dave's creamy garlic sauce made fantastic tacos.
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Definitely worth messing with. Brown and then slow/low cook as others referenced above. If it's still tough, keep cooking. Along with neck roasts, shanks are one of my favorite cuts. Silky.
 

Poser

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Before you slow cook them, brown the meat on all sides in butter or any fat that is solid at room temperature (lard etc). That process will definitely enhance the flavor. If the shank is still on the bone, saw a slit into the bone so you can let all of that bone marrow goodness out.
 

Ron.C

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I'm converted. Always used to grind shanks, now NO WAY. I kept the shanks from my last elk and cut them for Osso Bucco (sp?). My wife does them in the Instapot and it's my new favourite elk meal. Takes her about 90 minutes to prep and cook the entire dish.
 
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I like to keep some whole for osso bucco or braised whole shanks but I also like to cut all the meat off and cube it into stew sized chunks. Then I’ll portion it out and wrap it tight in plastic and butcher paper and have frozen packaged stew meat ready to use. As mentioned all the tough stuff breaks down and keeps the meat more moist and tender than other cuts you might use as stew meat.
 

Stalker69

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I am not a slow cook, stew type guy. Absolutely No gristle or chewy meat for this guy either. All that silver skin comes off, tell just meat exists. Then grind it for burger or sausage. There is so much better meat to eat, then have to slow cook it, or stew it.
 
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I am not a slow cook, stew type guy. Absolutely No gristle or chewy meat for this guy either. All that silver skin comes off, tell just meat exists. Then grind it for burger or sausage. There is so much better meat to eat, then have to slow cook it, or stew it.

Spoken like a guy who has never eaten braised shanks. I think it would take as long to cut all the silver skin out of a shank as it does to slow cook it, any you’d end up with a pretty sad little pile of meat scraps at the end of that laborious process.


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Stalker69

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Spoken like a guy who has never eaten braised shanks. I think it would take as long to cut all the silver skin out of a shank as it does to slow cook it, any you’d end up with a pretty sad little pile of meat scraps at the end of that laborious process.


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I I have eaten braised shanks, as well as liver, kidneys, heart, tongue, brain. Grew up on all kinds of stuff and “ stew” and meats in slows cookers and such ( it’s not the time it takes to cook it, that’s a non issue. I just don’t like things in a slow cooker, nor a pressure cooker) It’s just not my thing. If it’s not grilled, fried, or bbq, or smoked ( sausage) I will make due with out. And yes it’s a very laborious process of removing the silver skin on shanks, reason most people don’t do it. But that little pile of meat makes damn good burger, jerky and sausages. And I would rather process them into something I like to eat. Rather then save the “ labor” because it’s hard or tedious processing it. I don’t care how long or laborious it is. Rather then cook something I really don’t favor to eat. I don’t cut, or eat roasts for same reason, I don’t care to eat them. I would much rather have a steak, burger, chili meat or sausage or jerky out of them. No matter how much more “ work” it is. When I open the package, it’s ready to cook, no trimming , no fat, no boning it out. No “boiling “ it to make it chewable. Just me, my dad loved slow cooked, and stews and such, why we ate so much of it when I was young. I know many like it that way, I am not one of them however. The pictures above, I have eaten, and I know what it’s like, it’s not great.
 
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