Crockpot Shanks

[Schmo]

Most of y’all have probably already known this for a long time. Found a very good use for deer shanks. In the past, they always went to the grinder for burger. They make an excellent roast in the crockpot. Put a shank in, add some beef broth and water, and toss in some potato chunks. Season roast liberally with Montreal steak seasoning. Cook on high for approximately 6 hours. It will basically fall off the bone and taste like a beef roast. Absolutely delicious. Also trying mid-roasts and blade roasts. I expect they’ll taste about the same.

 

[rclouse79]

I get pissed when I hear people leave them in the field. I started sawing off the ends so i can fit them in the crock post as well. The crock pot is a heck of a lot easier and more efficient than the big tin pans in the oven. What I do is cook them all day with a can of beef broth and seasoning. Then I take a pair of liner gloves and put plastic gloves over the top. After cooking all day the meat is ready to pull apart. The liners let me handle the meat when it is still hot. I separate out all the junk with my hands. Then get a cast iron pan piping hot with some oil and throw in just enough meat to cover the surface for 3 minutes. That puts a nice crisp on the meat. Best tacos you will ever eat. I usually mix in some taco seasoning after I pull it out of the crock pot before i crisp it up.

 

[willfrye027]

If you have an instapot (spelling?) you can get those shanks super tender in like an hour. I like to saw them into a few chunks to get more of the marrow out while it cooks.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

Crock pot or pressure cooker, best part of the deer. I'll deboned Elk shanks and pressure cook them too.

Just like you said, shank, packet of ranch powder, packet of au jus powder, box of chicken broth, couple squirts of Worcestershire sauce and pressure cook 1.5 hours. Pop it open and toss in carrots, onions, taters, and some butter and cook another 30 mins, pop open and add 1.5 cups dry rice and cook another 15. Comes out amazing. Little bit of sea salt goes a long way as well, I do that depending on my mood.

 

[MuleyFever]

I tried this for the first time last year with Pronghorn. No bone so sliced and browned then into the crock pot. Turned out great. This will be my go to for shanks going forward.

 

[The Guide]

I no longer grind or trim shanks. Any cuts with lots of silver skin don't get trimmed either. All of these cuts get pressure canned. Cut them into 1 to 2 inch cubes, toss with granulated garlic and onion powder, and put those chunks into pint or quart canning jars. Pressure can (at your altitudes pressure requirements) for 90 minutes and put on the shelf until you need a quick meal.

Our favorite meal using the canned venison is a form of shepherd's pie. Make some mashed potatoes (or do microwaved baked potato's if you are in a time crunch), open the can of venison and warm in the microwave for 30 seconds to liquify the fats and gelatin in the broth, use the broth and water to make gravy, add the meat to the gravy once gravy is finished to cool the gravy and warm the meat, make some peas and carrots, make a bed of potato (mashed or baked), top with gravy and meat, add peas and carrots, and enjoy.

You can use the canned venison in anything you would use burger. Tacos, chili, stroganoff, spaghetti sause, or any other thing that uses burger or shredded meat.

Jay

 

[ScreamingPotato]

I no longer grind or trim shanks. Any cuts with lots of silver skin don't get trimmed either. Allnof these cuts get pressure canned. Cut them into 1 to 2 inch cubes, toss with granulated garlic and onion powder, and put those chunks into pint or quart canning jars. Pressure can (at your altitudes pressure requirements) for 90 minutes and put on the shelf until you need a quick meal.

Our favorite meal using the canned venison is a form of shepherd's pie. Make some mashed potatoes (or do microwaved baked potato's if you are in a time crunch), open the can of venison and warm in the microwave for 30 seconds to liquify the fats and gelatin in the broth, use the broth and water to make gravy, add the meat to the gravy once gravy is finished to cool the gravy and warm the meat, make some peas and carrots, make a bed of potato (mashed or baked), top with gravy and meat, add peas and carrots, and enjoy.

You can use the canned venison in anything you would use burger. Tacos, chili, stroganoff, spaghetti sause, or any other thing that uses burger or shredded meat.

Jay

We use ours a lot for Carne Guisada tacos, plain Hamburger Helper type stuff, and Enchiladas.

 

[5MilesBack]

I tried some moose shanks in the crock pot on low for 12 hours and that wasn't enough time apparently. Definitely fall off the bone........but tough as heck.

 

[Dexter Grayson]

Shanks has become one of our favorite cuts in my house!

 

[Subs]

Hank Shaw has some really good shank recipes. They are a favorite when I make them. Haven’t done them in the crock pot yet but I braise them in a Dutch oven.

 

[NealS02]

Shanks are my favorite cut if you do them right. I second the Hank Shaw recommendation. I just made a rear whitetail shank recipe last week with this approach. Sear whole on all sides after salt and pepper, add beef stock and scrape brown bits, add garlic, bay leaf, thyme, chili sauce (not hot sauce but you could), and put in a 300 degree oven in covered Dutch oven for 3-4 hours adding potatoes and carrots with 45 minutes left. It could be done for longer in a crockpot or shorter in Instapot.

 

[Poser]

I almost always make carnitas with shanks. I'll brown them in the pan and then braise them with dried chilli peppers etc for around 7-9 hours. Shred the meat with 2 forks, pan fry them for a minute and then put that meat back into a little bit of stock -crisp and juicy. I keep the left over bone broth and have a little bit daily with breakfast for the next few days.

 

[slvrslngr]

I tried some moose shanks in the crock pot on low for 12 hours and that wasn't enough time apparently. Definitely fall off the bone........but tough as heck.

Try putting the crock pot on high next time, I think on low they don’t get hot enough to break down the connective tissues. I do braised shank in the oven at 300.

 

[5MilesBack]

Try putting the crock pot on high next time, I think on low they don’t get hot enough to break down the connective tissues. I do braised shank in the oven at 300.

I tried them the next time in my dutch oven and they're just tough!

 

[copenmechanism]

Key is enough braising liquid. You want to make sure that the shanks are at least 2/3 covered. Stock or broth is good, or you can do crushed or diced tomatoes osso bucco style. 6-8 hours for deer on low in a crock pot, or 2-4 hours in the oven at 250 or so.

While we’re on the topic, a bone in neck roast done the same way is probably even better…

 

[Team4LongGun]

Sounds great all the recipes. Are you all removing silver skin?

 

[Steve O]

Sounds great all the recipes. Are you all removing silver skin?

No that is the beauty of the slow and low cook, it breaks down those connective tissues.

 

[slvrslngr]

I tried them the next time in my dutch oven and they're just tough!

That’s too bad. Did you remove the meat from the bone and cut it into chunks? What liquid did you use?

 

[Ucsdryder]

6 hours, boneless elk shank. Fork tender

 

[Steve O]

My son and his buddy have been hanging deer in my garage this week so we took care of them today. Before we started I put a shoulder and a handful of shanks on the smoker with some oak. After an hour, I put all that in a roasting pan with Hank Shaw’s Barbacoa recipe, covered it up and let it cook about 5 more hours 250-300°. Fall off the bone tender and super delicious.

I will never bone out a shoulder or try to trim a shank for burger again.

It’s not hard it just takes patience. I don’t think it is possible to overcook it.