This dish highlights rich flavors and fall-off-the-bone tender beef. In the traditional Moroccan tagine style, this slow-cooked stew uses beef shanks enhanced by warm spices, apricots and preserved lemon. “The shank surrounded by braised vegetables on a bed of couscous has an aroma that is unforgettable,” says Chef Bradley Yip who developed this adapted version of his original recipe.
Moroccan Beef Shank Tagine Style
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 3/4 hours
- Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes
Ingredients
4 slices Beef Centre Cut Shank, each 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick (about 3 lb/1.5 kg)
Salt and fresh ground pepper
3 tbsp (45 mL) olive oil
2 large onions, diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp (10 mL) EACH ground cumin, cinnamon and paprika
1 tsp (5 mL) ground turmeric
½ tsp (2 mL) cayenne pepper (optional)
2 cups (500 mL) canned diced tomatoes
4 cups (1 L) no-salt-added beef broth
½ cup (125 mL) chopped dried apricots
¼ cup (60 mL) green olives, pitted
1 preserved lemon (see Tips*), finely chopped (or grated zest of 1 lemon)
2 cups (500 mL) hot cooked couscous
Chopped fresh cilantro and parsley
Instructions
- Pat beef dry with paper towel. Score around the perimeter of each shank 5 or 6 times with a sharp knife, just barely cutting into the meat (this prevents the meat from curling). Season all over with salt and pepper to your taste.
- Heat oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot. Brown shanks, in batches, for about 10 minutes, turning with tongs, until browned all over. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Add more oil to pot, if necessary, between batches.
- Add onions and garlic to pot; cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes, until softened. Stir in cumin, cinnamon, paprika, turmeric and cayenne (if using). Cook, stirring, for 1 minute, until spices are toasted.
- Add tomatoes and bring to a simmer, stirring and scraping up brown bits from pot. Return the beef and any accumulated juices to pot. Add broth, apricots, olives and preserved lemon; bring to a simmer.
- Cover and cook in preheated 325°F oven or reduce heat to low and simmer on the stovetop for 2½ to 3 hours, or until the beef is fork-tender and falling off the bone.
- Skim fat from sauce, if necessary. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon couscous into 4 shallow serving bowls, top each with a beef shank and ladle sauce over top. Garnish with fresh cilantro and parsley.
Notes
Tips: *Preserved lemons are whole lemons cured with salt and sometimes seasoned with spices. You can buy them in jars in African and Middle Eastern specialty grocery stores, at gourmet stores and online. You can make them at home (find recipes in cookbooks and online), though you need to plan ahead a few weeks to allow the lemons to ferment and cure. To use, scrape out the flesh and finely chop the skin and pith.
You can use a traditional tagine in place of the Dutch oven; be sure to follow manufacturer’s directions to ensure it is safe to use on the stovetop. If it’s only for oven use, use a large, deep skillet for steps 1 through 3, then transfer to the tagine and bake as directed in step 4.
