OVER THE TOP GRILLED & SMOKED BEEF SHANKS

Grilling our Smoked Beef Shanks on the Gas grill with Double filet wood chunks in our smoker box!

I’m going to make a confession.  I rarely select steak to grill anymore.  The reason – there are just too many other options that I simply prefer.  Like beef riblets, short ribs, and shank.  Oh, the bone-in shank!  That is my favorite.

I’m going to give you a wet rub recipe and a grilling technique you can do on the grill of your choice, though I’ll be picking the easy gas grill.  Get to the butcher and select some premium bone-in beef shanks then visit SmokinLicious® online for some wood chunks.  Then get ready for the best grilled & smoked beef shanks you’ve ever had!

Wet Rub

I tend to lean toward some Asian-inspired ingredients for my rubs, especially those that are a wet rub.  While working on the rub, be sure you’ve started your grill so it will be ready to go when the meat is rubbed.  Remember, we are using a two-zone set up for the grill so burners lit only on one side of the gas grill with the wood chunks placed on the heat shield or in a smoker box placed over the lit burners like I’ve done.  Or, for the charcoal/wood grill, hot coals banked to one side of the grill.

For this wet rub, you’ll need equal parts of the following ingredients:

• Ground ginger
• Whole allspice – about 30
• Garlic powder
• Cinnamon
• Cocoa powder
• Sesame oil
• Worcestershire sauce
• Hoisin sauce
• Honey

Start by combining the dry ingredients, followed by the wet and combine with mortar and pestle until a paste is made.  Then coat the beef shanks on both sides and the edges with the wet rub.  I line a disposable foil pan with a roasting rack, then place the shanks on the rack.



Tasting Notes: don’t be afraid to use a store-bought rub and simply add oil and/or garlic/spice pastes.  There is nothing off limits when it comes to producing a rub.

Smoking

Time to open the pre-heated grill and start the cooking of the shanks.  The wood chunks should be smoking well at this point so add the shank pan to the unlit side of the grill.  Leave untouched for at least 40 minutes.  Return to check the internal temperature.  Flip the shanks and rotate the foil pan.  Leave until the meat registers 140-145° F.

Tasting Notes: select the hardwood you like or use a combination of hardwoods like I did with my shanks – maple, hickory and white oak.

Serve It Up

When done, I simply slice against the grain for beautiful, flavorful beef that has a controlled infusion of smoke.  Here’s a tip: be sure you enjoy the marrow in the bones!  It is very rich so if you elect not to eat it when the meat is done, use it with onions and shallots to make a confit, or use it with a rich pasta dish to make the flavor of the richness even more stunning.  Or, combine the marrow with an acidic dish like an arugula salad with lemon and capers.  And don’t forget to save the bones to make our smoked beef broth.  Two zone cooking makes it so easy to control the smoke infusion and produce perfection in any item grilled.

What’s your favorite beef cut to grill and smoke?   Bringing innovation to wood-fired cooking with recipes, techniques and the science behind the fire, smoke, and flavor. That’s SmokinLicious®.

finished beef shanks sliced