OK, this might seem like an odd name for a dish but bear with us. At Hepburns, we are always looking at different butchery methods, with a view to elevating cuts and cooking techniques that our customers might not always consider.
The case in point here is humble shin of beef. Normally diced up and used in casseroles, stews and pies, it is a great stalwart for braising during winter. However, if you keep it whole and French-trim with the bone intact, it can become a centrepiece in it’s own right.
In BBQ circles, this cut is known as ‘Thor’s Hammer’ and if you are looking for a little project this August Bank Holiday weekend, phone or email in an order in with us and follow the guide below.
By the way, the Mac ‘n’ Cheese is a great little addition and we went for it because it pairs up with Mjölnir.
In fact, let’s call this ‘Mjölnir and Mac’ instead.
Serves 4
First, set your BBQ up for smoking and indirect cooking, bringing the temperature to 110-115°C and adding some wood chips such as oak to your coals.
Mix up the barbecue sauce, mustard and 50 ml of the beer and brush the beef shin all over and then season with sea salt and cracked black pepper (keep the marinade for basting).
Stand the beef shin into an oven-proof dish, place it into the BBQ and pour in the remaining beer around the base. Smoke for 6-8 hours, or until the internal temp has reached 90°C. At the halfway mark, wrap the exposed bone with foil. This stops it blackening up and saves the bone marrow from evaporating too. Don’t forget to baste every hour or so.
Whilst the shin is cooking, make your Mac ‘n’ Cheese by boiling up the pasta, according to instructions and then drain.
Make the cheese sauce by adding the butter to a saucepan over a medium heat, until it has melted and then add the flour. Stir together to create a roux, or paste, and then bring the heat down and leave to cook through for another minute.
Slowly add the milk, whisking all the while until all the milk is incorporated and everything is thickened and smooth. Add 500g of the grated cheese and mustard, and stir through to mix in. Then take off the heat.
Fry off the streaky bacon until crispy and then combine with the cheese sauce and pasta.
When you are 30 minutes away from finishing the beef shin, spoon the cheesy pasta into the dish and around the meat. There will be plenty of juice from the beef and marinade to soak into the pasta.
Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over and cook until the top is golden and bubbling (It helps if you open up your vents on the BBQ to increase the temperature for this last stage.)
Present in the middle of the table, for people to pull the meat of the bone with forks and to ladle their own Mac ‘n’ Cheese into bowls.
Serve with BBQ’d corn on the cob and a green salad.