It comes out too good with the veal shank. Because of their massive quantities of connective tissue, the sauce veal shanks produce is rich, sticky, and sweet; which I personally find overpowering. It’s great for a few bites, but then I’m over it, quickly. On the other hand, pork shank isn’t quite as rich, and gelatinous, and I personally enjoy it much better.
For some of the same reasons, I don’t generally reduce the sauce too much. It’s not supposed to be a very thick sauce, and I’m generally happy to get to the coats-the-back-of-a-spoon stage. Anyway, whether you use veal or pork, I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 6 portions:
six thick-cut pork shank sections
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup white wine
2 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1/8 teaspoon ground clove, or *one whole clove
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried Rosemary
freshly chopped Italian parsley and freshly grated lemon zest for the tops
* if using whole clove, tie in some cheese cloth, along with the bay leaf and other herbs to create a “bouquet garni.”
