VENISON SHANK SHAWARMA
This venison shank shawarma is made by marinating venison shanks in a spiced herb paste, then braising them until tender enough to shred for pitas, tacos, sandwiches, or rice plates. It is a slow-cooked venison recipe built around rich, pull-apart meat and shawarma-style flavor.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon high smoke point cooking oil, for searing
- 4 venison shanks
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 1 large onion, quartered
- 1 1/2 tablespoons minced ginger
- 1 head of garlic, peeled
- 1/2 cup cilantro
- 1/2 cup parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon cloves
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 cups stock (chicken, lamb or veal stock)
Instructions
- In a blender or food processor place the spices, herbs, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Pulse until you have a thick paste. If it is too thick, a little more olive oil.
- With a paring knife, poke whole all over the venison shanks. Rubs the paste on the shanks thoroughly. Place in a non-reactive contains or gallon zip-lock bags. Place in the refrigerator for 12 hours or overnight.
- Pre-heat your over to 325 degrees F.
- Remove the shanks from the refrigerator and wipe the excess marinade into the pan you're going to braise the meat in.. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Once smoking sear your shanks on all sides until a nice brown crust has developed. Work in batches in order not to steam the meat.
- Place in an even layer in a baking dish with any excess marinade. Pour enough stock over the shanks to cover them about 75%. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake until tender. If you have the time, flipping the shanks over after a few hours of cooking is always a plus.
- For some added flavor and texture, you can remove the shanks from the braising liquid and char them slightly under your ovens broiler.
NOTES
- Marinate the shanks overnight. Blend the spices, herbs, oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper into a thick paste, poke the shanks all over, and rub them well so the marinade gets into the meat instead of just sitting on the surface. Refrigerate for about 12 hours.
- Sear them in batches. Wipe the excess marinade into the braising pan first, then brown the shanks hard on all sides in a hot skillet. Do not crowd the pan or they will steam instead of build a crust.
- Cover only about 75 percent. Add enough stock to come about three-quarters of the way up the shanks, not all the way over the top. This is a braise, not a boil.
- Cook until fork-tender. At 325 F, shanks can take anywhere from about 5 to 8 hours, and the post also notes venison shanks may turn tender in as little as 3 hours or take as long as 8. Go by texture, not the clock.
- Flip once if you can. Turning the shanks after a few hours helps them braise more evenly.
- Broil for extra texture. Once tender, you can pull the shanks from the braising liquid and char them lightly under the broiler before shredding or serving.
- Use the slow cooker instead. Start at step 5, keep the shanks covered about 75 percent with stock and any extra marinade, and cook on low for about 10 to 12 hours.
- Make it ahead if needed. The post notes this is a good make-ahead dish and says the flavor improves after a little time in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Calories: 309kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 2129mg | Potassium: 341mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1827IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation. Nutrition is per serving.
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