SHANKS 101

Here's a lesson on Shanks, SHANKS 101.

Welcome class, I'm professor Sambrano, your foodie, your friend, your still learning chef man from Lahaina. What the F...  is a shank? Okay, there's no need for swearing here in my class okay? Just shut da F up! And let me talk. Good. Shut up. Or as my mom would say, "Shut up your mouth!"

Shanks come from the leg parts of the animal, most quadrapeds are shankies.

Below is pork shanks, it is cut from the front and rear legs of the animal, in this case a hog wasn't so lucky, the butcher got him. The shanks, or hocks when this section is cross-cut, is full of flavor, and gelatinous when cooked slow. Hocks or shanks, are great for stews, braises, because it is full of muscle, fibers, ligaments, it's a tough piece of meat actually. So a good slow coooking moist heat method lends itself great for this occasion. Flavorings may include, wine, olive oil, peppers, garlic, ginger, curry flavors from India or Malaysia, or just make delicous (ono) Portuguese beans soup with this cut.

When buying shanks or hocks, look for clear, not cloudy meats, nice pink meat, nice whitish fats. Hocks and Shanks are found in the frozen sections most of the time and needs to be thawed out. The hocks that come from the rear legs are cut below the knees, the hocks that comes from the front legs is cut above the knees. Frozen shanks last up to three months in the freezer, while fresh shanks should be refrigerated 3-4 days and must be used.

Photo: chow.com

Pork shanks weigh about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pound because of the bone. Osso buco a veal shank which is famous in many homes in Italy and Italian restaurants are much more expensive than pork shanks. So if you ain't got the bucks for veal, pork shanks are an awesome alternative.

BRAISED PORK HOCKS

4 pcs. of pork hocks about 1 1/4 lbs. each, seasoned with salt and pepper on both sides.
Canola oil for searing.
4 cloves of crushed garlic
2 bay leaves halved
2 cups of red wine, inexpensive Merlot, or Cotes du Rhone
1 pinch of dried thyme
1 pinch of dried rosemary
1 pinch of dried sage
3 tbsp. of cold butter.

Easy to do.

Over medium high heat in a large 12 inch stainless steel skillet, add the oil and sear the hocks.
Add in the garlic, bay leaves, red wine, and herbs, lower heat to low, cover the skillet with a lid or foil. Simmer for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Remove hocks on to a plate for service, one per person, it may be really soft and may fall apart, but that's awesome if it does!

Turn up heat and reduce whatever sauce is in the skillet to about 5 tablespoons, then take skillet off of the heat, then swirl in the butter using a whisk. Then spoon sauce over hocks and enjoy with mash potatoes or rice.