Beer-Braised Spiced Pork Shanks
This deliciously rustic recipe from Brittany combines staple ingredients from the region: pork, shallots and amber beer. Plump, bone-in pork shanks are slowly braised in amber beer with spices, until fall-off-the-bone tender and incredibly fragrant. This is a robust, hearty dish to comfort the soul during Winter – yet I find it elegant enough to serve for a romantic dinner too. Pork and pork shanks in Brittany Since moving back to Brittany, I have slowly rekindled my love with pork – even though I am not usually a big meat…
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 3 hr
- Yield
- 2 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 2 whole fresh pork shanks, bone-in and skin on
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp (15ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp (14g) unsalted butter
- 1/3 lb (150g) shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
- 1 lb (450g) carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
- 8 cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 3 sprigs of thyme
- 3 cups (750ml/24oz) Amber beer
- 1 cup (250ml) beef stock (ideally, low sodium)
Instructions
- 1
Step 1 - One hour before cooking, take the shanks out of the fridge. Season them with salt all over. Let rest to near room temperature.
- 2
Preheat your oven to 320°F (160°C) with a rack in the lower middle.
- 3
Step 2 - In a large Dutch oven or casserole, heat up the olive oil and butter on medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the pork shanks and cook until golden all over for about 10 minutes, rotating the shanks every 2-3 minutes. When nicely golden all over, transfer the shanks to a plate. Do not clean the drippings in the Dutch oven.
- 4
Step 3 -Turn the heat to medium and add the shallots, garlic and carrots. Cook for 7-8 minutes until the onion is glistening and fragrant. Add the pork shanks back into the Dutch oven, over the vegetables. Add the cloves, bay leaves, ground cinnamon, black pepper and thyme. Add the beer and stock. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid and place in the pre-heated oven for 3 hours, turning the pork shanks after 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- 5
Step 4 -After the 3-hour mark, check if the pork is tender by poking a pointy fork in it. If they still seem too tough, cook for 30 extra minutes.
- 6
For serving, place the shanks in the middle of a shallow plate and pour the braising liquid with the vegetables over top. Serve with mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes or Gratin Dauphinois.