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    Where Is My Spoon > Recipes > Meat

    Veal Shank Recipe

    Last modified: Jun 20, 2023 ยท Published by Adina, Jun 20, 2023 ยท Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe
    pinterest image of veal shanks with rice.

    Melt-in-your-mouth braised veal shanks in a flavorful orange sauce. These succulent and tender veal shanks are slow-cooked to perfection in a Dutch oven and infused with the vibrant flavors of citrus.

    veal shanks with orange sauce in a dutch oven.

    This veal shank recipe with orange sauce is one of our favorite ways of cooking veal shanks. The meat is slow-cooked until perfectly tender, and the orange sauce is absolutely divine. Serve the shanks on risotto Milanese for a restaurant-worthy meal.

    Jump to recipe
    • What are veal shanks?
    • Recipe ingredients
    • How to braise veal shanks?
    • Expert Tips
    • Recipe FAQ
    • How to store and reheat?
    • What to serve with veal shanks?
    • More veal recipes
    • Veal Shank Recipe

    What are veal shanks?

    A cut of meat obtained from young calves, specifically the lower portion of the leg. They consist of the meat surrounding the bone, including the marrow.

    They are typically known for their tenderness and rich flavor, making them ideal for slow-cooking methods such as braising.

    When cooked properly, they become fall-off-the-bone tender and develop a velvety, luscious texture.

    Check out more veal shank recipes: Slow Cooker Ossobuco and Instant Pot Ossobuco.

    Recipe ingredients

    listed ingredients for cooking a veal shank recipe on a the table.
    • Veal shanks: You will need about 4 ยฝ lbs/ 2 kg shanks to feed about four people. Ensure the pieces are already sliced into thick slices (2 inches/ 3 cm thick). You will probably have 4 to 6 slices, depending on their size.
    • Orange peel: The outer, zestful layer of the orange fruit's skin, but none of the white parts (they are bitter). Orange peel adds a fragrant citrus aroma.
    • Orange juice: About ยฝ cup/ 125 ml juice from the oranges youโ€™ve just peeled.
    • Vegetables: One small carrot, the white part of a small leek, and one onion.
    • Flour to help brown the veal shanks before simmering them.
    • Beef broth or chicken stock. Or veal stock if you can get any, but itโ€™s usually not widely available. Low-sodium broth is preferable; it allows you to control the dish's overall saltiness better.
    • White wine for making the sauce. I use dry white wine. Use a good-quality white wine you enjoy drinking, as the flavor will be imparted into the sauce. It doesnโ€™t have to be pricey, though; medium-range is fine.
    • Seasoning: Thyme, fine sea salt or kosher salt, and ground black pepper.
    • And some granulated sugar to sweeten the orange sauce slightly.
    plate with saffron risotto and a slice of veal on top.

    How to braise veal shanks?

    • Season and flour the veal shanks (1).
    • Sear them in melted butter in two batches in a large Dutch oven (2). Remove them from the pan.
    collage of two pictures of floured shanks on a plate and then cooking in a pot.
    • Sautรฉ the finely chopped vegetables (3).
    • Add broth, thyme, salt, and pepper, stir well, and return the meat to the pot (4). Simmer, covered for 30 minutes.
    collage of two pictures of browning veggies and then adding the meat.
    • In the meantime, prepare the oranges.
    • Peel only the orange layer of the peel (the white parts are bitter) and cut them into fine stripes (5).
    • Blanch them for 1 minute and drain them (6).
    collage of two pictures of orange peel before and after blanching.
    • Add the orange peel to the veal shanks in the pot (7). Simmer for another hour or until the veal shanks are very tender (8).
    collage of two pictures of braising veal shanks in a pot.

    Orange sauce:

    • Gently remove the meat from the pot.
    • Strain the cooking liquid, reserving the liquid, and discarding the solids. Wipe the Dutch oven with paper towels.
    • Pour the strained cooking liquid back into the pot and add the orange juice, white wine, and a little sugar. Bring to a boil (9).
    • Thicken the sauce with cornstarch slurry and let it bubble for another minute.
    • Adjust the taste with salt, pepper, and more sugar if needed. Return the shanks to the pot and spoon some of the sauce over them.
    cooking orange sauce for veal in dutch oven.

    Expert Tips

    • Shanks: Make sure that they are already sliced into thick slices, or ask the butcher to do it for you. You may not be able to cut them yourself at home.
    • Braise the veal shanks slowly over low heat. This method allows the collagen in the meat to break down, resulting in a fork-tender texture.
    • When braising the veal shanks, make sure they are partially submerged in the liquid to prevent drying out.
    • A Dutch oven or a heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid is ideal for braising.
    • Sugar: The amount of sugar you need depends on the sweetness of the oranges and the acidity of the white wine. Start with a teaspoon and add more to taste; the sauce should taste sweet and sour.

    Recipe FAQ

    Can I use a different type of meat instead of veal shanks?

    Yes, you can adapt the recipe to use other cuts of meat, such as beef shanks or lamb shanks. However, remember that the cooking time and flavors may vary slightly.

    Can I prepare the dish in advance?

    Braised dishes often taste even better the next day as the flavors have time to combine. Prepare the recipe as directed, cool it down, and store it in the refrigerator. Reheat gently before serving.

    Can I make this dish without alcohol?

    You can substitute the wine with an equal amount of broth.

    How to store and reheat?

    • Refrigerate the braised veal shanks in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Gently reheat the dish on the stovetop.
    • Freeze airtight for 3-4 months. Defrost in the fridge and reheat before serving.

    What to serve with veal shanks?

    • romanian polenta or mamaliga topped with crumbled feta cheese in a bowl.
      How to Cook Basic Polenta โ€“ Mamaliga
    • roasted polenta potatoes in a baking dish.
      Polenta Roast Potatoes (Cornmeal Potatoes)
    • overhead view of a bowl of truffle mashed potatoes sprinkled with parsley and red pepperberries.
      Rich Truffle Mashed Potatoes
    • platter with butter garlic rice sprinkled with parsley.
      Simple Buttered Rice with Garlic
    • Risotto Milanese would be perfect. Otherwise, any other simple risotto would be delightful as well.
    • Alternatively, serve this veal dish with creamy polenta, crusty bread, buttered rice, pasta, or roasted potatoes.
    • Serve a fresh green salad with vinaigrette dressing on the side.
    close up shanks of veal showing the marrow bone.

    More veal recipes

    • Veal Meatballs
    • Veal Escalopes (in Lemon Sauce)
    • Wiener Schnitzel (Austrian Veal Schnitzel)
    • How to Cook Veal Liver
    • Veal Marsala Recipe (with Mushrooms)

    Do you like this recipe?

    Please leave a good rating in the recipe card below. Stay in touch through social media: Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram. Donโ€™t forget to tag #whereismyspoon when you try a recipe!
    veal shanks served over risotto on a white plate.

    Veal Shank Recipe

    These succulent and tender veal shanks in orange sauce are slow-cooked to perfection in a Dutch oven, allowing them to soak up the flavors of citrus and aromatic spices.
    5 from 1 vote
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    Course: German Main Course, Main Course, Meat Recipes
    Cuisine: German
    Prep Time: 40 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 768kcal
    Author: Adina

    Equipment

    • Dutch oven
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients 

    Veal shanks:

    • 4 ยฝ lbs veal shanks cut into 2 inch/ 3 cm thick slices, 2 kg
    • ยฝ teaspoon fine sea salt or kosher salt
    • ยผ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    • 2 tablespoons butter 30 g

    Orange sauce:

    • 3 oranges juice and peel, Note 2
    • 1 piece leek the white part, 60 g/ 2 oz
    • 1 small carrot 60 g/ 2 oz
    • 1 ยฝ cups beef broth or chicken stock, Note 3
    • 1 teaspoon thyme
    • ยฝ cup orange juice freshly squeezed, 125 ml
    • ยฝ cup white wine scant, 100 ml
    • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
    • 2 tablespoons cold water
    • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
    • fine sea salt and ground black pepper

    Instructions

    Veal shanks:

    • Flour veal shanks: Pat them dry with paper towels and sprinkle them with salt and pepper on both sides. Place the flour onto a large plate, dredge the shanks through the flour, and pat them gently to remove the excess.
      4 ยฝ lbs/ 2 kg veal shanks + ยฝ teaspoon salt + ยฝ teaspoon pepper + 2 tablespoon flour
    • Sear: Melt the butter in the Dutch oven. Brown the veal shanks in two batches for about 2 minutes per side. Remove them from the pot.
      2 Tbsp/ 30 g butter
    • Chop: In the meantime, chop the onion and the leek very finely, and cut the carrot into small cubes.
      1 onion + 2 oz/ 60 g leeks (white part) + 2 oz/ 60 g carrots
    • Sautรฉ the vegetables with a pinch of salt in the Dutch oven for about 3 minutes or until softer, stirring frequently.
    • Simmer: Pour in the broth, add thyme and a little salt and pepper, stir well, and return the meat to the pot. Bring to a boil, turn the heat down to low, and simmer, covered for 30 minutes.
      1 ยฝ cup/ 375 ml beef broth or chicken stock + 1 teaspoon thyme + a little salt and pepper

    Prepare oranges:

    • Peel: Wash and dry them. Peel only the orange layer of the peel (the white parts are bitter). Cut the peel into fine strips.
      3 oranges
    • Blanch orange strips: In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add the orange peel stripes and blanch them for 1 minute. Drain them well.

    Orange sauce:

    • Simmer: After 30 minutes of cooking, add the orange peel to the veal shanks in the pot. Stir to distribute them evenly in the pot, cover again, and continue simmering the shanks for another hour or until they are very tender.
    • Carefully remove the meat from the pot using a slotted spoon. The shanks are very tender, and the meat might fall off the bone, move them gently.
    • Strain the cooking liquid reserving the liquid and discarding the solids. Use a paper towel to wipe the Dutch oven clean.
    • Cook orange sauce: Pour the strained cooking liquid back into the pot and add the orange juice, white wine, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Bring to a boil.
      ยฝ cup/ 125 ml orange juice + scant ยฝ cup/ 100 ml white wine + 1 teaspoon sugar
    • Thicken sauce: In the meantime, whisk the cornstarch with cold water. Whisk the slurry into the simmering orange sauce to thicken it slightly. Let the sauce bubble for about one minute.
      1 tablespoon cornstarch + 2 tablespoon cold water
    • Adjust the taste with salt, pepper, and more sugar if needed. Return the shanks to the pot and spoon some of the sauce over them. Sprinkle with parsley if desired, and serve with risotto.
      salt + pepper + more sugar if required

    Notes

    1. Veal shanks: 4-6 slices, depending on their size. Make sure that they are already sliced into thick slices, or ask the butcher to do it for you. You may not be able to cut them yourself at home.
    2. Oranges: Itโ€™s preferable to use organic, unwaxed oranges as you will also need their peel.
    3. Beef broth or chicken stock. Or veal stock if you can get any, but itโ€™s usually not widely available. Low-sodium broth is preferable; it allows you to control the dish's overall saltiness better.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1portion from 4 | Calories: 768kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 101g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 398mg | Sodium: 1714mg | Potassium: 2005mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 2945IU | Vitamin C: 72mg | Calcium: 176mg | Iron: 5mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @adinabeck or tag #WhereIsMySpoon!

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