Smoked Beef Shank on a Pellet Grill

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Smoked Beef Shank also know as Thors Hammer is a show stopping hunk of tender beef that is always a hit. The beef is tender and falls apart making it perfect for tacos, burritos or shredded beef sandwiches.

It can be a little tricky so be sure to checkout my tips and tricks so you don’t end up with a disappointing Dino leg.

Why You Should Make This

This Frenched bone-in smoked beef shank comes together in about 8 hours smoking over low heat to break down tough connective tissue. It has a flavor and texture similar to a chuck roast but with a much more impressive presentation.

This is a cut of beef any bbq lover should try at least once. Chances are you’ll be making it again and again.

What is a Beef Shank ?

Get ready to feed a hungry crowd with this out-of-this-world smoked beef shank recipe!

If you are unfamiliar with beef shank AKA Thor’s Hammer, it comes from the lower hind legs of a cow.

Thor’s hammer, also known as the beef shin, were other tough cuts like Osso Bucco come from, has lots of flavor but need a lower temperature over a long time to develop into tender meat.

There are a number of places online you can order a beef shank or reach out to your local butcher and ask for a frenched whole beef shank.

Most people think the only way to cook a beef shank is in a dutch oven, pressure cooker or slow cooker, but this smoked method will change your mind.

This cut of meat is typically pretty lean with not a lot of excess fat to protect it, underrated, and can be quickly and easily ruined if cooked incorrectly.

But, something is irresistible about smoked bone-in beef shank when cooked correctly.

Beef shank bones make for great soup bones as well and the bone marrow inside adds tons of deep richness.

Ingredients

• Beef: For this recipe, I used 6 lbs of Frenched, bone-in beef shank. Six pounds will roughly serve 10-12 people, so if you are preparing for more, double accordingly. However, remember, If the whole shank is larger, your cook time will increase.
• You may find small cut veal shanks at the butcher shop that you can smoke and serve individually.
• Herbs and Spices: For the perfect blend of spices, add 2 tbsp of kosher salt, 2 tbsp of coarse black pepper, 1 tbsp of granulated onion, and1 tbsp of granulated garlic.
• Rub: Not only are you going to rub down your beef with seasoning, but you are also going to rub 2 tbsp of avocado oil all over that bad boy since this meat cut doesn’t have as much fat as a brisket or chuck roast.
• Cooking Spray: instead of using a braising liquid like red wine, I use a spray to help keep lean meat moist. You will need 1/2 cups of water, 1/2 cups of beef broth, 2 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce, and 2 tbsp of soy sauce.

Step by Step

Preheat the smoker. For Best Results, preheat the pellet smoker to 250 degrees F. The low temperature will slowly break down tough muscle fibers. Medium-high heat (over 325 degrees F) will cause the meat to dry out unless you braise in large pots with additional liquid.

Prepare the meat. Prepare the dry rub by combining the salt, pepper, onion, and garlic in a container and shake well. Rub the beef shank with avocado oil on all sides, then season with the rub.

Continue to prepare the meat. Use a piece of aluminum foil to cover the bone to prevent it from burning, and use the butcher’s twine to tie around the shank to help it maintain its shape during the cooking process.

Cooking Process

• Smoke. Place the beef shank on the smoker for 2 hours at 250 degrees F. After that, spray with a mixture of water, beef stock, Worcestershire, and soy sauce once an hour until you reach an internal temp of about 170 degrees F.
• Continue to smoke: Wrap the beef shank in butcher paper or aluminum foil and continue cooking until you reach an internal temperature of between 200-210 degrees F.
• Always use the probe to check for tenderness as well.
• Speed Things Up: A little cheat method you can also try is to smoke the beef for 3-4 hours. Then finish in the instant pot for one hour to break down the tough connective tissues. Just fill the large pot with about a cup of cooking liquids such as beef bone broth or chicken broth, dry sherry, and a few bay leaves. This adds a lot of flavor to this massive hind leg of beef. It’s a great idea I picked up for a chef buddy of mine
• Rest. Let the beef shank rest for an hour. Then remove the shank from the paper, cut off the butcher’s twine, and shred the beef.
• Serve. Once the meat has rested, serve with bbq sauce (optional) or serve however you like! My favorite way to serve beef shank is with flour or corn tortillas with diced onion and cilantro

Pro Tips and Tricks

Below you will find a few tips to ensure your smoked beef shank has a flavor that pops, a tender texture, and of course, a juicy bite that falls apart in your mouth every time.

Trimming: Take a moment before seasoning the beef shank to trim off some of the silver skin that you will see on the outside of the shank. this will give you a much more tender final product. you can also lightly score the shank so the silver skin isn’t as chewy.

The Rub. I like to rub down the meat with avocado oil well. Doing this also ensures that the rub sticks to the meat.

Cook Time. If you don’t have 9 hours to smoke the meat, you can cook the beef in less time with a higher cooking temperature. It is important to remember though if you do this, the meat won’t be as tender as something cooked slow and low. This is a tough piece of meat to overcook. So don’t be afraid to keep it on the smoker a little longer to make sure its completely tender.

Temperature Checks. Use a digital thermometer and check the temperature of the meat. This will help ensure the meat is fully cooked and comes out at the right time. If you have a wireless probe to keep in the shank throughout the cook that’s even better.

Resting: Once the beef is probe tender you want to keep it wrapped and let it rest for at least 1 hour but you can keep it in a hotbox for up to 5 hours. The internal temperature of a smoked beef shank will be around 200-210 degrees F. always use the probe to fee for tenderness as your main factor for doneness.

The Perfect Side Dish

There is nothing you can’t serve alongside delicious smoked beef! I recommend White Cheddar Mashed Potato Casserole, Smoked Mac and Cheese, Homemade Batter Rolls, or Sheet Pan Green Beans Almondine with Bacon!

Other Beef Recipes You’ll Enjoy

• Smoked Eye of Round with Beef Au Jus
• Beef Short Rib Sandwiches with Pimento Cheese
• Pellet Grill Smoked Beef Short Ribs
• Smoked Chuck Roast

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