Braised Venison Shank Tacos With Tequila and Lime
Learn how to braise venison shanks low and slow until the connective tissue melts into rich and tender meat for these tequila-lime venison shank tacos.
Braised Venison Shank Tacos With Tequila and Lime
This recipe comes to us from Ethan Demi, owner of Broken Plains Outfitting Company and friend of MKC.
5
30 minutes
5 hours
420
Mexican
Dinner
These venison shank tacos turn the most underrated cut on the deer into fall-off-the-bone taco meat.
I think it’s safe to say shanks are one of the most underused venison cuts out there. Hunters often toss them aside because the connective tissue can clog up a grinder. But when they’re braised properly, venison shanks might be my favorite cut on the whole animal.
Yes, even backstrap takes a backseat. Braising is the process of slow-cooking meat in liquid at a low temperature over a long period of time. Done right, all the connective tissue in venison shanks breaks down and turns rich and gelatinous.
If you’ve never tried braised venison shanks, these tequila-lime venison shank tacos are the place to start.
Ingredients
For the Braised Venison Shanks
- 2 deer shanks
- Oil for cooking (I use avocado oil for its high smoke point)
- Salt and pepper
- 1 cup tequila (save the expensive stuff for the margaritas)
- 2 quarts chicken stock
- 1 large white onion, quartered
- 2 jalapeños, thickly sliced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced with a clean, sharp knife
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 lime, halved
- 4 cilantro sprigs
- 3 Tbsp. agave nectar
For the Venison Shank Tacos
- Corn tortillas (or flour)
- Grape tomatoes, halved
- Jalapeños, sliced
- Crumbled queso fresco
- Avocado, sliced
- Cilantro leaves and lime wedges for garnish
These taco toppings are subjective. The ingredients listed here are what I’ve landed on, but the tortilla is your canvas.
Directions
I braise low, shred, and crisp for the best venison shank tacos.
Season and Brown the Venison Shanks
Rub the shanks with oil and coat generously with salt and pepper on all sides.
Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat on the stovetop. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Brown all sides of the venison shanks in the Dutch oven until a dark crust forms.
Build the Tequila-Lime Braising Liquid
Once the shanks are browned, add the chicken stock, tequila, quartered onion, jalapeños, garlic, cumin, cilantro, and limes. Squeeze the lime juice into the braising liquid before dropping in the lime halves. Reserve the agave for crisping the shredded meat.
Add enough chicken stock for the braising liquid to come about two-thirds of the way up the shanks.
Bring the liquid to a boil, then place the lid on the Dutch oven.
Braise the Venison Shanks Low and Slow
Place the covered Dutch oven in the oven at 300°F for four to five hours. Check occasionally and add more stock as needed to maintain the liquid level.
When the meat is almost falling off the bone, remove the Dutch oven from the oven.
Shred the Braised Venison Shank Meat
Transfer the shanks to a cutting board. Remove the meat from the bones, using a sharp kitchen knife as needed to cut through connective tissue, then shred it with two forks.
Crisp the Venison Shank Meat With Agave
Preheat a cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add half of the shredded venison shank meat to the hot skillet and let it sit for several minutes until the ends start to crisp.
Drizzle half the agave nectar over the meat and cook for one more minute to let it caramelize. Remove the meat from the skillet and repeat with the other half.
Assemble Your Venison Shank Tacos
Warm the tortillas in the oven or in a lightly oiled frying pan. Load each tortilla with the crisped venison shank meat, then top with queso fresco, sliced avocado, grape tomatoes, jalapeños, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
