Dark Beer-Braised Beef Shin with Mashed Potatoes

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the meat and vegetables

   Preheat the oven to 160 °C. Pat the beef shin dry and cut it into cubes about 4 cm across. Cut the onion, carrot, and celery into pieces about 1 cm in size, and finely chop the garlic. Peel the potatoes and cut them into even-sized pieces; set them aside in cold water for now.

   
2. 2

   Brown the meat and prepare the base

   Season the meat with 6 g of salt and the black pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy, oven-safe pot. Brown the meat in two batches on all sides, about 3 minutes per batch, then transfer it to a plate. Add the onion, carrot, and celery to the pot and cook for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 minute, then add the garlic and stir for another 30 seconds.

   
3. 3

   Slow-braise the meat in beer

   Slowly pour the dark beer into the pot, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Cook for 3 minutes to let some of the liquid evaporate. Pour in the stock, return the meat and any juices from the plate to the pot, and add the thyme and bay leaves. The liquid should come about two-thirds of the way up the meat; cover the pot and place it in the oven for 2 hours 20 minutes to 2 hours 40 minutes. The meat is ready when it can be easily pulled apart with a fork.

   
4. 4

   Cook and mash the potatoes

   During the final 25 minutes of braising, drain the potatoes and place them in a pot with 2 l of fresh water and the remaining 8 g of salt. Simmer gently for 18 to 22 minutes, until a knife pierces them easily. Drain the potatoes. Heat the milk, melt the butter in the hot milk, and pour the mixture over the potatoes. Mash until smooth and stir in the nutmeg.

   
5. 5

   Finish the sauce and serve

   Remove the pot from the oven and take out the bay leaves and thyme stems. Stir in the apple cider vinegar. Taste the sauce: it should be deeply meaty, slightly sweet from the vegetables, and pleasantly tangy at the end; if needed, add no more than 1 g of salt. Divide the mashed potatoes among four plates and serve the meat, vegetables, and thick sauce on top.