This perfectly smoked Beef shank was done properly, with tender, fall off the bone meat that can be shredded into anything. Nicknamed Thor’s Hammer, 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. Pitmasters and home cooks all over the country jumped on the trend of smoking a whole beef shank as a show stopper.

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 grilled properly, a smoked beef shank is a very tender, flavorful and juicy piece of meat.

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 peppe. 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.

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 vertically.

Place the seasoned beef shank vertically 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

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 addtional flavor and moisture for the remainder of the cook. Seal the entire thing tightly and smoke for another 3 hours. Remove once the beef is fork tender.

Keep it wrapped and allow it to rest for a good 30-45 minutes. 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!

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Smoked Beef Shank

This perfectly smoked Beef shank also known as Thor’s hammer was tender, with fall off the bone meat ideal for shredding.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword smoked beef shank, smoking meats, beef recipes, bbq food, grilling recipes, grilling with dad recipes, grillin with dad recipes, low and slow smoking., thors hammer, smoked meat.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 9 hours hours

Servings 4 People

Calories 73kcal

Author Maciek Zurawski

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!

Nutrition

Calories: 73kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 3549mg | Potassium: 129mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 3IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg

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