The price of beef is out of this world right now. What if I told you that you could make some delicious pulled beef for less than $4.99 a pound? Let me introduce you to the beef shank. I’ve officially adopted this as my preferred meat for shredded beef, even more so than chuck roast.
So what’s a beef shank? It’s the lower leg of a cow. It’s a very lean and tough piece of beef that is typically used for soups and stews. However, kiss this beef with 6+ hours of smoke and braising and it will become one of your favorite meals. I know it’s one of my family’s!
Ingredients/equipment for preparing a beef shank
- One beef shank (with bone) mine was roughly 7 lbs.
- three tbsp olive oil
- four tbsp Traeger garlic and chilli rub
- two tbsp fresh cracked pepper
- a pan large enough to hold the beef shank and braising liquid
- 32 ounces of beef broth
- two full onions (cut into slices)
- two minced garlic cloves
Smoking Directions:
- Turn your smoker on and bring to 225 degrees.
- Remove your beef shank from the package and pat dry.
- Trim any hard fat that is found on or around the beef shank.
- Apply the olive oil on the entire beef shank.
- Liberally season the beef shank (I used Traeger rub + pepper but you can use your favorite mix)
- Place the beef shank (unwrapped) in the smoker.
- Allow the beef shank to smoke for three hours.
- While the beef shank is smoking add your beef broth, onions, and garlic in a braising pan. I used a disposable aluminum pan for easy cleanup.
- After three hours, remove the beef shank from the smoker and add it to your braising pan. Wrap the entire pan in foil.
- Turn the smoker up to 350 degrees and add the beef shank (in wrapped braising liquid) back into the smoker.
- Allow the beef shank to braise in the smoker for another ~3 hours or until the beef has an internal temperature of 207-210 degrees.
- Remove the beef shank and braising liquid from the smoker and place the beef shank into a cutting board.
- The beef will be pull-apart tender. I use heat-resistant gloves to shred the beef by hand. You can also use two forks if you prefer.
Optional: You can use the braising liquid for two options. You can take a small portion and dip your beef in it as-is. This is especially good as an “au jus” for beef sandwiches. Alternatively, you can strain the broth and add a slurry of milk and cornstarch to thicken it up into a nice gravy. This is my favorite when pairing this pulled beef with mashed potatoes.
Pet Friendly: As you are aware, the beef shank is a large long bone. Once you remove the beef this instantly becomes a great treat for dogs.
Recipe Step By Step (How-To) Images
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