Braised Beef Shanks
Ingredients:
- 6 (1 1/2-inch-thick) beef shanks (6 pounds)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 3/4 cups reduced-sodium beef broth (14 fluid ounces)
- 2 cups water
- 4 large heads of garlic, 1/4 inch of root end cut off and discarded to expose cloves
- 2 (4-inch-long) strips fresh lemon zest
- 8 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 celery ribs, cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
- 3 large carrots, cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice, or to taste

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Pat shanks dry and rub all over with salt and pepper. Dredge shanks in flour, turning to coat.
- Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then brown shanks on all sides in 3 batches, adding 1/2 tablespoon oil if necessary, 5 to 6 minutes per batch.
- Transfer shanks to a large roasting pan. Add broth and water to skillet and bring to a boil, scraping up brown bits.
- Place garlic (cut sides down), zest, thyme, and bay leaves with celery and carrots around shanks in pan and add broth mixture.
- Cover surface with a sheet of parchment paper and tightly cover pan with foil.
- Transfer to oven and braise until meat is very tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
- Skim off and discard fat from cooking liquid and cool mixture completely, uncovered, about 1 hour, then chill, covered, at least 6 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (leave rack in middle position).
- Skim off and discard any remaining fat from surface of pan juices and reheat shank mixture, covered, in oven, turning shanks over once, 1 hour. Discard bay leaf, thyme sprigs, and zest.
- Transfer shanks and vegetables with garlic to a serving dish and keep warm, covered. If pan juices measure more than 3 cups, boil in a cleaned 12-inch skillet until reduced; if less, add water.
- Squeeze garlic pulp from 1 head into pan juices, discarding skin, and whisk to incorporate, then add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour sauce over shanks and serve, along with vegetables and remaining garlic heads.