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    Home » Recipes » Pork Recipes

    Country-Style Braised Pork Shank Recipe

    Published: Jul 4, 2021 · Modified: Oct 31, 2021 by Chef Dennis Littley

    1.2K shares
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    5 from 60 votes
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    When it comes to comfort food Pork Shanks are one of my favorites. And my Country-Style Braised Pork Shank recipe takes pork shanks to the next level!

    beer braised pork shanks on a white platter with vegetables

    If you’ve never known the joy of pork shanks, you don’t know what you’re missing. Not only are they one of the most delicious cuts of pork you’ll ever taste, they’re also incredibly easy to make.

    You’ll find a few different ways to make pork shanks online and my beer braised version of these beauties is timeless Southern Classic that I promise you’ll enjoy eating and making for years to come!

    Table of Contents:

    • What Ingredients do I need to make Braised Pork Shanks?
    • Chef Tip:
    • How do I make Braised Pork Shanks?
    • Chef Dennis Tip:
    • Do I have to use Beer to make the pork shanks?
    • Do I have to use both chicken and beef stock in this recipe?
    • Recipe FAQ’s:
    • More Pork Recipes You’ll Love!
    • Country-Style Braised Pork Shanks
      • Ingredients
      • Instructions
      • Nutrition

    What Ingredients do I need to make Braised Pork Shanks?

    ingredients to make recipe

    Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make my Beer Braised Pork Shanks. In Chef Speak this is called the “Mise en Place” which translates to “Everything in its Place”.

    Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

    Chef Tip:

    I‘ve used a lot of dutch ovens over the years and this chef only uses Misen Dutch Ovens for his cooking.

    Misen also makes great quality knives at a reasonable price and has become my knife of choice for my home kitchens

    How do I make Braised Pork Shanks?

    floured pork shank in a white bowl of seasoned flour

    The first step is dredging the pork shanks in flour seasoned with sea salt and black pepper.

    seared pork shanks in a dutch ovenm

    Add vegetable oil to a large dutch oven (6-7 quarts) (or a large skillet) over medium-high heat. Sear the pork shanks for about 2 minutes on each side.

    Once seared on all sides, remove the pork shanks from the pan and set aside until needed.

    **Discard the oil if it’s burnt and start with fresh oil, but don’t clean out the pan. We want all those tasty bits stuck to the pan for the sauce.

    vegetables for the pork shanks in the dutch oven

    The next step is adding the mirepoix (celery, carrots and onions) to the pot along with the mushrooms, potatoes and chopped garlic. Let the vegetables cook over medium heat for 5-7 minutes or until they have all been lightly cooked.

    Chef Dennis Tip:

    Never add uncooked vegetables to liquid and boil them. Vegetables will never develop the depth of flavor they will achieve by searing them prior to adding liquid to the pot.

    beer added to the vegetables in the dutch oven

    After searing the veggies, add the beer to the dutch oven. Turn the heat down and scrape all the bits off the bottom of the pan. This is called deglazing.

    I used a wheat beer for my pork shanks because that’s what I had on hand. I normally like using a porter or stout but your favorite beer will always do.

    Cold or room temperature liquid introduced to a hot pan will help release all the tasty bits from the pan and in some cases, stop the cooking process.

    Do I have to use Beer to make the pork shanks?

    No, you don’t. If you don’t have beer on hand or can’t have alcohol, you can always use Dr. Pepper, Root Beer or Coke. You can also use non-alcoholic beer.

    stock, tomato paste and herbs added to the pot with the veggies

    After deglazing the pan, add the stock, herbs, salt, cracked black pepper and tomato paste to the pot.

    Allow the mixture to simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes.

    If you don’t have cracked black pepper, use one-half teaspoon of regular black pepper.

    Do I have to use both chicken and beef stock in this recipe?

    No, you don’t if you don’t have both, you can use all chicken or all beef stock to make this dish. But the combination really makes a delicious sauce and if all possible, use both types of stock, you won’t be sorry.

    pork shanks added to pot with some of the veggies and stock.

    Remove about two-thirds of the veggies and stock from the pot. Add the seared pork shanks back into the pan, arranging them so that the remainder of the vegetables and stock will mostly cover them.

    vegetables and stock added on top of the pork shanks in the dutch oven covering them

    Add the stock and veggies back to the pan. They should almost completely cover the pork shanks.

    Cover the pot with a lid or aluminum foil and place into a 325 degree preheated oven for 3 hours.

    When the pork shanks are ready you may have a good amount of grease pooling in the pan. Remove most of the grease and discard it. Mix the rest back into the sauce, remember Fat = Flavor!

    3 pork shanks with veggies on a white platter

    This was one of the most flavorful dishes I have ever made. The pork was outrageously tender and the sauce rich and OMG delicious!

    You’re going to love serving this to your family as much as you’re going to love eating it!

    Recipe FAQ’s:

    Are pork shanks tough?

    Because pork shanks come from the front leg of the pig, they can be tough and chewy if not cooked properly. Slow braising allows the fat in between the meat on the shank to render as it braises and slowly cooks and will make this cut of pork one of the most flavorful and tender pieces of pork you’ve ever had.

    What cut is a pork shank?

    The pork shank is a cross-section cut from the leg of the pig. It is located above the trotter and below the ham. Each piece of shank consists of bone, lean meat, fat and connective tissue. This cut is often overlooked but cooked properly it can be a delicious tender cut of pork.

    Are pork shanks and ham hocks the same thing?

    No, they are not. The shank comes from higher up on the leg, while the hock comes from the area above the foot of the pig. The shank is meatier, more flavorful and tender

    This post includes affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    I’ve used a lot of dutch ovens over the years and this chef only uses Misen Dutch Ovens for his cooking.

    Misen also makes great quality knives at a reasonable price and has become my knife of choice for my home kitchens

    More Pork Recipes You’ll Love!

    • overhead close up of pork osso bucco
      Restaurant Style Pork Osso Bucco Recipe
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    overhead shot of 3 pork shanks with veggies on a white platter
    Print Recipe Save Saved!
    5 from 60 votes

    Country-Style Braised Pork Shanks

    My Country-Style Beer Braised Pork Shank recipe is easy to make. You'll love the outrageously tender pork shank and the rich and flavorful sauce this recipe makes.
    Prep Time15 minutes mins
    Cook Time2 hours hrs 45 minutes mins
    Total Time3 hours hrs
    Course: Entree
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 1000kcal

    Ingredients

    • 4 pork shanks about 5 pounds
    • 1 cup all-purpose flour seasoned with sea salt and black pepper to dredge the pork shanks
    • 1 cup carrots chopped
    • 1 cup onions chopped
    • 1 cup celery chopped
    • 16 ounces mushrooms
    • 2 cups baby potatoes or regular potatoes cut into chunks
    • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
    • 1½ cups beef stock
    • 1⅓ cups chicken stock
    • 12 ounces beer
    • 6 cloves garlic chopped
    • 4 sprigs rosemary fresh
    • 4 sprigs thyme fresh
    • 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper or ½ teaspoon of regular black pepper
    • 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
    US Customary – Metric
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Dredge the pork shanks in flour seasoned with sea salt and black pepper.
    • Add vegetable oil to a large dutch oven (6-7 quarts or a large skillet) over medium-high heat. Sear the pork shanks for about 2 minutes on each side.
      Once seared on all sides, remove the pork shanks from the pan and set aside until needed.
      **Discard the oil if it’s burnt and start with fresh oil, but don’t clean out the pan. We want all those tasty bits stuck to the pan for the sauce.
    • Add the celery, carrots, onions, mushrooms, potatoes and chopped garlic to the pot. Let the vegetables cook over medium heat for 5-7 minutes or until they have all been lightly cooked.
    • After lightly cooking the vegetables, add the beer to the dutch oven. Turn the heat down and scrape all the bits off the bottom of the pan.
      This process is called deglazing.
    • After deglazing the pan, add the stock, herbs, salt, cracked black pepper and tomato paste to the pot.
      Allow the mixture to simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes.
    • Remove about two-thirds of the vegetables and stock from the pot. Add the seared pork shanks back into the pan, arranging them so that the remainder of the vegetables and stock will mostly cover them.
    • Add the stock and veggies back to the pan. They should almost completely cover the pork shanks.
      Cover the pot with a lid or aluminum foil and place into a 325 degree preheated oven for 3 hours.
    • When the pork shanks are ready you may have a good amount of grease pooling in the pan. Remove most of the grease and discard it. Mix the rest back into the sauce
    • Serve the pork shanks with the sauce and vegetables and enjoy!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 1000kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 139g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 377mg | Sodium: 1532mg | Potassium: 3603mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 5596IU | Vitamin C: 38mg | Calcium: 624mg | Iron: 19mg
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    About Chef Dennis

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    Chef Dennis Littley is a classically trained chef with over 40 years of experience working in the food service industry. In his second career as a food blogger he has made it his mission to demistify cooking by sharing his time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen. Let Chef Dennis help you bring the joy of cooking into your home. For more details, check out his About page.

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    1. Diane N

      April 05, 2023 at 10:46 am

      The pork shanks have skin on…..do you leave it or remove before searing? I’ve had braised pork shanks in a restaurant and there was no skin on them when served…

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        April 05, 2023 at 2:49 pm

        Yes, you should remove the skin. Most pork shanks sold in the US have the skin removed. It is quite possibly a ham hock if it still has the skin on it.

        Reply
    2. Michelle

      December 13, 2022 at 2:07 am

      5 stars
      I made this and was possibly the best thing I’ve ever made! Well maybe not .. but it was damn good and I’ll definitely be making it again!!! 😋

      Reply
    3. sue

      October 22, 2022 at 3:56 pm

      Does the garlic get crushed, chopped or minced and when is it added?

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        October 22, 2022 at 4:18 pm

        thanks for catching that. It’s chopped and goes in with the vegetables.

        Reply
    4. Dee

      March 09, 2022 at 7:02 am

      Curious, do the potatoes get mushy with cooking 3 hours?

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        March 09, 2022 at 8:12 am

        leaving the skin on the baby potatoes helped them to not get mushy. If you use cut potatoes they would indeed turn to mush.

        Reply
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