I recently made beef shin soup which now rivals my chicken soup as a new cold weather favorite. An added bonus is that beef shin is a fairly inexpensive cut, and the inclusion of marrow bones makes it one of the tastiest soups I’ve enjoyed to date.
First, start with about 4-5 pounds of shin meat, bone included (think Osso Bucco). I preheat my oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. On the stovetop, I sear the meat in small batches in a Dutch oven with beef tallow. Don’t overcrowd it or it won’t brown; it will steam instead of sear, which isn’t desirable. Once browned on both sides, I remove the meat and add chopped onion, celery, and carrots to the remaining fat and fond left in the pot, scraping up those bits of flavor with a wooden spoon as water is released from the softening veggies.
Add a few cloves of garlic (whole or chopped) salt, pepper, thyme and a bay leaf. Once the onions are translucent, add back the beef and any remaining juices to the Dutch oven. Add enough water to cover the contents in the pot (I use water from the kettle I’ve recently boiled so it’s already quite hot).
Cover the pot and bring it all to a boil, then transfer to the oven to continue cooking for the next 2 ½ to 3 hours. Once done, you will find that the liquid in the pot has reduced by 20 – 30%. What you are left with is a concentrated, beautiful broth and meat that’s falling off the bone with the accompanying softened vegetables. Ladle it into a bowl and enjoy as is (the way I do!) or have it with rice, potatoes, or noodles. The leftovers will taste even better tomorrow, and I so look forward to that!
To your health!
Leyla Muedin, MS, RD, CDN
