Let me show you how to take an impressive cut like Thor’s Hammer, AKA beef shank, and turn it into smoked pastrami. Talk about an epic meal.
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Table of Contents
What is beef shank?
The beef shank is a cut of meat that comes from the leg muscle of a cow. It has minimal fat, but lots of connective tissue and collagen.
When it’s cooked for several hours, the collagen breaks down into gelatin, and the beef becomes extremely tender, making it great for sandwiches or tacos.
Beef shank is butchered and sold two ways. This recipe uses a Frenched beef shank, which is a larger cut of beef with the bone exposed. Because of its shape and size, this cut is commonly called a Thor’s hammer beef shank.
The other cut is a cross-cut beef shank. This is when a butcher cuts the shank across the bone, yielding a marrow-filled bone in the middle surrounded by the beef.
Cross-cut beef shank is what is used to make osso buco.
Where to buy beef shank
While you may be able to find cross-cut beef shank at your local grocery store, the larger cut is more challenging. You will likely need to special order it from your local butcher.
You can also purchase it online. The one I cooked for this recipe is from Porter Road.
Ingredients
- Beef Shank: This recipe uses a Frenched beef shank.
- Corned Beef Brine: Made with pickling spice, salt, brown sugar and pink curing salt, this is used to brine the beef to turn it into pastrami. It’s also what gives the beef the pink color.
- Pastrami Rub: Made with whole spices ground into a rub.
- Beef Tallow: I use beef tallow as my braising liquid to add moisture during the wrapped stage.
Substitutions: Instead of beef tallow, you can also use beef stock or even beer.
See the full recipe card below for servings and a full list of ingredients.
How to smoke beef shank
I smoke beef shank at 275-300F degrees, and even at this higher heat, it still takes a long time to smoke. The first stage will take around 4-5 hours. The braising stage can take an additional 5-6 hours.
- STEP ONE: Use a sharp knife to remove the silver skin around the circumference of the beef shank.
- STEP TWO: Place the beef shank in a large bowl. Make sure the bowl is taller than the top part of the meat. Pour the corned beef brine into bowl. Place in the refrigerator and brine for 4-5 days.
PRO TIP: To prevent spillage, either cover the bowl with plastic wrap or place the shank in an oven bag. Place the bag in the bowl and add the brine to the bag. Then, tie the bag closed.
- STEP THREE: Remove the shank from the brine and rinse under cold water. Tie a couple pieces of butcher’s twine around the shank, so it holds its shape. Season all over with pastrami rub.
- STEP FOUR: Heat your smoker to 275-300F degrees with an indirect heat zone. Place the shank on the grill over the indirect heat. Smoke for about 4 1/2 hours or until the internal temperature reaches around 170F degrees.
PRO TIP: Once the beef shank reaches 170F degrees, it should have a beautiful mahogany bark like pictured below.
- STEP FIVE: Remove the beef shank from the grill. Place it on two sheets of butcher paper. Add beef tallow to add moisture. Wrap tightly and return to the smoker.
- STEP SIX: Continue smoking until the internal temperature of the beef shank reaches at least 200F degrees. Your digital meat thermometer should glide into the meat smoothly. Remove the shank from the smoker and let it rest for 30-60 minutes.
How to serve smoked pastrami beef shank
A fun way to serve the huge beef shank is to place it on a platter on the center of the dinner table. Shred some of the shank to get people started.
Place bowls of taco condiments around the shank with some serving spoons. I serve beef shank with shredded lettuce, chopped onion, jalapeno and cilantro, flour or corn tortillas, limes, tomatoes and cotija cheese.
Don’t shred the whole shank because people will have fun shredding some of the meat themselves. It’s also fun when the full bone is revealed at the end.
You can also go the more traditional route and serve pastrami beef shank with rye bread, sauerkraut and thousand island dressing.
Storage
Store leftover pastrami beef shank in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can also freeze the pastrami for several months.
GCG Pro Pitmaster Tips
- Remove the silver skin before brining the beef shank
- Tie the shank with kitchen twine so it holds its shape
- Smoke it until it has a beautiful bark
- Braise it in butcher paper with liquid; I use beef tallow
Frequently Asked Questions
Once beef shank is cooked and shredded, it can be used anywhere you would shredded beef.
I like it on tacos and sandwiches. Beef shank is also popular in beef stews and osso buco, which is an Italian-style stew with tomatoes and red wine or white wine. The bone marrow adds rich flavor to the broth.
Because shank is a tough cut of meat, one of the most common ways to cook it is to braise it in a pot, large Dutch oven or slow cooker for several hours.
I prefer to smoke the beef first to add more complexity to the flavor. Then, I braise it in butcher paper with beef tallow.
This beef shank recipe is also unique because the meat is brined first to turn it into pastrami.
It depends on the cut and method of cooking. When smoking a frenched beef shank at 275-300F degrees, plan on 10-12 hours. If you smoke it at a lower temperature, it will take longer.
If you’re cooking cross-cut beef shank, it will take 4-5 hours for them to smoke and braise.
More pastrami recipes
More beef recipes
- The No-Fail Way to Make Smoked Brisket
- How to Smoke Dino Ribs (Beef Plate Ribs)
- Hickory Smoked Chuck Beef Pot Roast
- Melt in Your Mouth Smoked Beef Short Ribs
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Smoked Pastrami Beef Shank
Ingredients
- 4 lb Frenched beef shank
- 12 cups corned beef brine
- 1/4 cup pastrami rub
- 1/4 cup beef tallow
Instructions
- Trim: Use a sharp knife to remove the silver skin around the circumference of the beef shank.
- Brine: Place the beef shank in a large bowl. Make sure the bowl is taller than the top part of the meat. Pour the corned beef brine into bowl. Place in the refrigerator and brine for 4-5 days.
- Season: Remove the shank from the brine and rinse under cold water. Tie a couple pieces of butcher's twine around the shank, so it holds its shape. Season all over with pastrami rub.
- Heat Grill: Heat your smoker to 275-300F degrees with an indirect heat zone.
- Smoke: Place the shank on the grill over the indirect heat. Smoke for about 4 1/2 hours or until the internal temperature reaches around 170F degrees.
- Wrap: Remove the beef shank from the grill. Place it on two sheets of butcher paper. Add beef tallow to add moisture. Wrap tightly and return to the smoker. Continue smoking until the internal temperature of the beef shank reaches at least 200F degrees.
- Rest: Remove the shank from the smoker and let it rest for 30-60 minutes.
- Serve: Unwrap the shank. The meat should shred apart with your hands or two forks.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
