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Talk about a show stopper. This smoked beef shank, nicknamed Thor’s Hammer, is not only super cool looking, it’s packed full of delicious beef. This cut of beef has gained some popularity as butchers started shaping it into what looks like a large hammer with a massive bone sticking out of a large cut of meat.
The shank comes from the leg, usually a cheap cut of meat due to its toughness. A very lean cut of meat, shank is used for recipes like a beef bourguignon or to prepare low fat ground beef. If cooked properly, a smoked beef shank is a very tender, flavorful and juicy piece of meat. Don’t forget to check out my Smoked Italian Beef Style Sandwich recipe!
Table of Contents
Step 1: Prep the beef shank
The beef shank is basically the lower shin of a cow leg. The meat is tough and lean, therefore requiring a long cook to tenderize. This is no ribeye or NY strip. Long hours of low and slow smoking will tenderize the meat. If done properly, this beef hammer is a win!
To get started, apply your choice of binder. I went with some some yellow mustard. Next, apply a very generous amount of Dad’s All Purpose rub and black pepper. The AP seasoning will provide savory notes of salt and paprika, while the ground black pepper will give the sharp aroma without heat.
Remember, this is a large piece of meat so don’t be stingy with the seasoning. Be sure to season it on all sides and let it hang out at room temperature for about an hour or so.
Step 2: Smoke the beef shank
Preheat the grill to 250 degrees and set for indirect heat. For this recipe, I used my smoker which had plenty of space to fit the entire shank.
Place the seasoned beef shank upright on the grill and let it smoke for about 6 hours. This process will slowly cook the beef and infuse the rich smokey flavor and tenderize the meat. The ideal internal temperature should be between 160-170 degrees.
Step 3: Add some beer and wrap
Now that the beef shank is smoked and delicious, it’s time to get it tender. Wrap the smoked beef shank with a large sheet of aluminum foil, adding about 1/2 can of beer to the wrap. The beer will add some additional flavor and moisture for the remainder of the cook. Seal the foil tightly, place it back on the smoker and bump up the temperature to 275 degrees.
Continue cooking until the meat is fork tender. I like to start checking for tenderness around the 200 degree mark. If it still feels firm, wrap it back up, continue cooking and check again in 30 minutes. It’s very important to cook until the meat is tender. This can take anywhere from 2-4 hours.
When the meat is tender, remove it from the smoker and let it rest for 30-45 minutes in the wrap. Similar to a brisket, this will stop the cooking process, lower the meat temperature and relax those muscle fibers.
Finally, shred the meet and enjoy! You can serve it as is, make tacos, sandwiches, put it on pasta, the possibilieties are endless. The meat will be very beefy, smokey and absolutely delicious!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Absolutely! Follow the same time and temperatures as listed above and cook it in your oven. You won’t get the smokey flavor like you would from the grill, but it will still be delicious.
Similar Recipe Ideas:
If you tried this Smoked Beef Shank or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the📝 comments. I love hearing from you!
Smoked Beef Shank
Ingredients
- 1 Frenched beef shank
- 4 tbsp Dad's all purpose rub
- 2 tbsp Black pepper
- 2 tbsp Yellow mustard
- 1/2 can Beer
Instructions
- Coat the beef shank with yellow mustard and season with Dad's All Purpose rub and pepper.
- Preheat the smoker to 250 degrees and set for indirect heat. Place the seasoned beef shank vertically on the grill and let it smoke for about 6 hours or until the internal temperature reaches between 160-170 degrees.
- Wrap the smoked beef shank with aluminum foil, adding 1/2 can of beer inside the wrap. Increase the grill temperature to 275 degrees and place it back on the smoker.
- Cook the beef shank until it is probe tender, approximately 3-4 hours.
- Remove from the smoker, keep it wrapped and rest it for 30-45 minutes.
- Shred the meat and enjoy!
