Polish · intermediate
Polish Braised Beef Shank Stew With Parsnip And Marjoram
A comforting, slow-cooked beef shank stew cooked down with sweet parsnips, dried marjoram, and a touch of sour cream for a rich regional Polish finish.
- PREP TIME
- 15 min
- COOK TIME
- 60 min
- SERVES
- 4
Good things
start in the kitchen.
LET’S MAKE IT
Step by step
- 01
Pat the cut beef shank pieces dry with paper towels and season with salt and ground black pepper.
- 02
Heat vegetable oil in a heavy Dutch oven over high heat and sear beef cubes in batches for 4 minutes until dark golden brown on all sides, then transfer beef to a plate.
- 03
Reduce heat to medium, add chopped onion, garlic, and parsnips to the pot, and cook for 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
- 04
Stir in tomato paste and dried marjoram, roasting for 1 minute until fragrant.
- 05
Pour in halal beef stock, scraping up browned bits stuck to the bottom, return the beef and accumulated juices to the pot, cover, and simmer gently on low for 45 minutes until beef is fork-tender.
- 06
Remove from heat, temper sour cream with a few tablespoons of hot broth, stir back into the pot to form a glossy sauce, and adjust seasoning.
A LITTLE KITCHEN KNOW-HOW
Temper Sour Cream
Mixing sour cream with hot broth before stirring it into a pot prevents the cream from curdling due to temperature shock.
Notes from the kitchen
- Rubbing dried marjoram between your palms before adding it releases its aromatic oils more effectively.
- Beef shank contains gelatin-rich connective tissue that softens over low heat to create a naturally rich gravy.
- Original home-cooking adaptation inspired by Polish; regional versions vary.
- Use halal-certified meat, poultry, stock, sauces, cheese and other processed ingredients. Check labels and avoid cross-contamination. Recipe screening is not halal certification.