Braised Beef Shank and Vegetables in Dark Beer

Directions

1. PREHEAT the oven to 375F. Adjust the oven racks to accommodate a 6-quart casserole.
2. HEAT the oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium-high heat, add the beef shanks, and brown on all sides, about 15 minutes each side. (You may need to brown them in batches, depending on how many fit in your skillet.)
3. MEANWHILE, assemble the remaining ingredients (except for the potatoes) in a 6-quart Dutch oven or other heavy lidded casserole. Add the browned beef shanks, season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper, cover, and place in the oven. Bake 2 to 3 hours, until meat is tender. Add the potatoes during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
4. REMOVE the beef shanks and potatoes from the Dutch oven, and place on a serving plate. Remove the garlic, and squeeze the cloves to express the roasted pulp inside, adding the pulp to the accumulated drippings and vegetables in the Dutch oven. Discard the leftover garlic skins. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Skim off any unwanted fat.
5. NOW make a sauce by pureeing the leftover cooking liquids with the cooked vegetables using a hand held blender, regular blender, or food processor. Add a little beef stock, if the sauce is too thick. Serve sauce on the side.