West African Peanut Beef Shanks

My husband is a beef snob. If we have steak, the only kind he wants is filet. I personally prefer a T-bone or a rib eye. I like the marbling of fat, especially paired with a bone and then you have flavor. So when I said I wanted to make some beef shanks and sent him to the store to pick them up, he was very dubious. He dutifully bought the four beef shanks I requested and then bought himself a filet, just in case. I smiled at the filet, but didn't cook it. LOL

But much to his surprise he loved this dish. It kind of has a lot of steps and takes all day to cook but it is worth it!

The combination of ingredients sound odd but trust me, this is delicious and full of flavor. I know it also sounds like a lot of peppers but the sauce has so much flavor it really isn't spicy so don't hold back on the chilis and pepper.

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West African Beef Shanks

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4 Beef shanks

Salt

1/4 Cup Olive Oil

2 - 14 oz. can of diced or whole tomatoes

1 Large Yellow Onion sliced

2 Tablespoons minced fresh ginger

1 Whole Head of Garlic minced

1 Small Can of Tomato Paste

1 Tablespoon of chilis (I used Korean style dried red pepper)

1 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

3 Cups Strong Brewed Coffee

1 1/2 Cups of Water

6 Coriander seeds in the pod

1 1/2 Teaspoons Cumin Seeds

1 Cinnamon Stick

4 - 6 Whole Peppercorns

1 Cup Peanut Butter*

1 Bunk Fresh Cilantro

Dry Roasted Peanuts Crushed

*Just make sure to not use a peanut butter that has sugar in it.

Salt the beef shanks generously. Let them sit out for at least an hour. Put the oil in the pan and heat. When the oil is hot put the beef shanks in the oil and sauté until the meat is brown on all sides. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the onion and sauté until the onion starts to become translucent. Add in the ginger and garlic and sauté until fragrant. Make sure to keep scraping up the nice brown bits in the pan. Stir in the tomato paste and the peppers/chilis. Put the diced tomatoes into a blender and puree until smooth. Add the tomato puree and coffee to the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil and stir frequently to prevent burning. Toast the coriander and cumin seeds as well as the cinnamon stick in a dry pan until fragrant.

Return the beef to the pan along with any accumulated juices. Add in the water and the toasted spices. Bring the pan back to a boil and then cover tightly. Put the covered pan in a 300° oven. Bake for 3 hours.

After 3 hours, remove the pan from the oven, remove the beef from the pan and set aside. Pour the braising liquid through a strainer to remove most of the solids and discard the solids. Return the braising liquid to the pan. Bring back to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer stirring frequently until the liquid is reduced a bit and thickened. Don't rush this part, it will take about 15 - 20 minutes to do and it's worth every minute.

Whisk the peanut butter into the reduced sauce in the pan, season with salt to taste. Put the beef back into the pan and heat until warmed through.

Garnish with the chopped fresh cilantro and crushed peanuts.

I served this with steamed cauliflower. You will want something to sop up the lovely sauce!!! Don't forget to try the bone marrow. It's delicious!