These beef shanks are superb. Slowly cooked and smothered in a rich sauce, they are tender and flavorful. Thanks to the slow cooker, this recipe is almost entirely hands-off!
Beef shanks are typically used in osso buco recipes. These recipes call for browning the shanks first, then braising them with vegetables. My recipe is easier. I simply place the shanks in the slow cooker with beef stock and spices and braise them. The result: Tender meat that falls off the bone, covered in rich gravy. Much like lamb shanks, this is comfort food at its best.
Ingredients and Variations
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and ground cumin. Sometimes, I use regular paprika instead of smoked paprika. If you like spicy food, add ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
- Beef stock: You'll need about a cup. Add it to the bottom of your slow cooker before adding the shanks. You can use chicken broth or water if you don't have beef stock.
- Cornstarch: This is an optional ingredient. It helps thicken the cooking liquids, but you can reduce them into a glaze without it.
- Beef shanks: I use six of them. I sometimes find them at Whole Foods Market. When I don't, I order them online at Vincent's Meat Market. This Bronx butcher ships its products overnight in the USA. They are chilled, not frozen. This is what the packaged shanks look like:
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Season the shanks with the spices. Pour the beef stock into the bottom of your slow cooker pan. Add the shanks, layering them. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours.
Briefly broil the shanks to brown the fat. Turn the broiler off and set the oven to warm. Keep the shanks in the oven while you reduce the cooking liquids on the stovetop.
Spoon the sauce on the shanks and sprinkle them with chopped parsley for garnish. Serve immediately.
Recipe Tips
- The shanks will start to smell amazing after four hours, but cook them for six hours to make sure they are tender.
- Cleaning tip: Reducing the cooking liquids will result in the saucepan needing major scrubbing. Simply fill it with hot, soapy water, let it sit overnight, and then, the next day, scrub it with a stainless steel scrubber (assuming it's not a nonstick pan).
- The reason for making a cornstarch slurry instead of stirring the cornstarch directly into the cooking liquids is that cornstarch added directly to hot liquid can turn into clumps.
- If you buy the shanks online, you'll probably get different sizes - see the photo below. That's fine. You can cook them all together.
Recipe FAQs
I tried that, and the answer is yes, but it won't be as good. This glaze is especially rich and flavorful because some of the bone marrow has melted into it. Here's what the shanks look like without the glaze: 
If you leave the fat in, as you reduce the cooking liquids into a sauce, the sauce could break - separate into two components: liquid and fat. Removing most of the fat helps ensure a smooth sauce. 
Almost. Osso bucco is an Italian dish traditionally made from veal shanks, but often made with beef shanks. "Osso buco" translates to "bone with a hole," referring to the bone marrow at the center of the shank, shown in the image below. My recipe is simpler and easier than traditional osso buco.
No. I experimented with browning the shanks on the stovetop before placing them in the slow cooker. My conclusion is that this extra step is unnecessary. You can achieve the same result with much less effort by briefly broiling the shanks after they are cooked.
Serving Suggestions
This saucy dish is best served on something that would absorb the sauce, such as:
- Mashed cauliflower
- Mashed butternut squash
- Mashed pumpkin
- Cauliflower rice
- Zucchini noodles
- Spaghetti squash noodles
- Hearts of Palm pasta
- Sauteed spinach
You can add a veggie side dish such as steamed broccoli, steamed asparagus, or roasted Brussels sprouts.
Storing and Using the Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat them in the microwave, covered, at 50% power. Like most slow-cooked meats (including pot roast, goulash, or beef cheeks), the leftovers are just as good as the freshly cooked dish. In the photo below, I served them with a side of roasted broccolini.
Recipe Card
Slow Cooker Beef Shanks
Video
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or 1 teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 6 beef shanks - about 12 ounces each
- 1 cup beef stock
Optional:
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons parsley - chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix the salt, pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and ground cumin.
- Pat the beef shanks dry with paper towels. Season both sides with the spice mixture, gently pressing with your hands to ensure the spices adhere to the meat.
- Pour the beef stock into the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker pan.
- Add the beef shanks, layering them.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours.
- Heat the broiler on high (450℉). Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Remove the shanks from the slow cooker and place them on the baking sheet. They are so tender at this point that some of them might fall apart. That's OK and expected.
- Broil the shanks to brown the fat for 1-2 minutes, keeping a close eye on them to ensure they don't burn. Turn the broiler off and set the oven to warm (170℉). Keep the shanks in the oven to keep them warm while you reduce the cooking liquids.
- Strain the cooking liquids into a measuring cup. Place the cooking liquids in the freezer for 10 minutes. This will help solidify the fat layer and make it easy to remove it from the top. Remove the fat layer from the cooking liquids using a spoon. Pour the liquids into a medium saucepan.
- Prepare a cornstarch slurry by mixing the cornstarch with 1 ½ tablespoons of cold water. Stir the cornstarch slurry into the cooking liquids.
- Heat the mixture over medium-high heat, whisking often, until it thickens into a rich glaze. This should take about 10 minutes.
- Arrange the shanks on a serving platter or individual plates. Spoon the glaze on top. If desired, sprinkle them with chopped parsley for garnish. Serve immediately.
Notes
- The shanks will start to smell amazing after four hours, but cook them for six hours to make sure they are tender.
- Cleaning tip: Reducing the cooking liquids will result in the saucepan needing major scrubbing. Simply fill it with hot, soapy water, let it sit overnight, and then, the next day, scrub it with a stainless steel scrubber (assuming it's not a nonstick pan).
- The reason for making a cornstarch slurry instead of stirring the cornstarch directly into the cooking liquids is that cornstarch can turn into clumps.
- I experimented with browning the shanks on the stovetop before placing them in the slow cooker. My conclusion is that this extra step is unnecessary. You can achieve the same result with much less effort by briefly broiling the shanks after they are cooked.
- If you buy the shanks online, you'll probably get different sizes. That's fine. You can cook them all together.
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat them in the microwave, covered, at 50% power.
Nutrition per Serving
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Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
Evelyn says
I don’t have a slow cooker. Can I roast this in the oven at 325 or on the stove?
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Evelyn,
You can try braising the shanks in the oven for 3 hours at 325°F. Use a Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid.
However, I only tested this recipe in a slow cooker, so this would be an experiment.