Beef hind shank

Fridge

Beef shank is a cut of meat from the leg of a cow or bull. People often mistakenly think that the shank is a fatty cut, but quite the opposite is true. Because the shank is positioned on the upper leg, it’s used a lot for movement of the animal. This means it’s quite lean and full of muscle and connective tissue. While the high protein and low fat content makes it quite a healthy cut of beef to opt for, it also means the shank can be tough if not cooked correctly. Nevertheless, beef shanks are usually quite an affordable cut of meat and are also a good source of collagen, which helps your bones, skin, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Typically, beef shank is cooked “low and slow” in dishes like osso bucco to break down the connective tissue and make it tender to eat. Braising is a very popular option so they’re an ideal cut for the slow cooker if you’re looking to save money on ingredients and electricity costs. Because of how lean beef shanks are, they’re also a popular choice for making lean beef mince or ground beef. Beef shank hamburger mince, for instance, is a tasty and lower calorie alternative to regular patties.