Shank at 75 degrees: Stew

Held near boiling for long enough, it becomes the body of any bone broth worth the name. Sold more for collagen than grade; marrow bones are the prize. Look for tendon that is translucent rather than chalky, and meat that springs back when pressed. A cut’s grain comes from how much the muscle worked. Shank needs heat through to 75 degrees before “Stew” makes sense. 75 is a stage of that heat, not a luxury score. The same cut becomes a stew, a grill, or a braise, so a steak minute does not cover a pot. Thick connective tissue wants time, not a hard sear alone. This is not medical advice.

Colour, sinew, where the fat sits, and thickness are what you check before you pay. Ask for the thickness that matches “Stew.” Use 75 degrees and 75 when you cook. Salt after you know the job. Do not play with undercooked meat. Cook Shank to 75 degrees and serve it as “Stew.” The other figure to watch is 75. Do not time a hard-working muscle like a thin steak. Colour before heat is not doneness. Leg muscle, and essentially a block of collagen. Under pressure or in a sous vide bath it converts completely into gelatin, at which point a spoon will cut it.

Cook Shank to 75 degrees and serve it as “Stew.” The other figure to watch is 75. Do not time a hard-working muscle like a thin steak. Colour before heat is not doneness. Leg muscle, and essentially a block of collagen. Under pressure or in a sous vide bath it converts completely into gelatin, at which point a spoon will cut it.