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smoked beef shank tacos on a tray with grilled corn cobs, jalapeno bread and a lime cheek
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Smoked Beef Shank Tacos

Take this cheaper cut of beef, add a couple of your favorite rubs, smoke it slow and you will be rewarded with crunchy bark and tender meat for your next taco.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Mexican
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 6 hours
Resting Time 1 hour
Total Time 8 hours
Servings 8
Calories 482kcal
Author Justin Gradon

Ingredients

  • 9 lb Beef shank well marbled
  • BBQ rub I used 2 different types
  • 8 flour tortillas

To serve

  • Mango salsa
  • Alabama white sauce

Instructions

  • Set up your smoker for 300°F.
  • Add a few chunks of smoke wood, I used a mixture of Pecan and Cherry.
  • Prep your shank by removing and excess silver skin or hard fat.
  • Drill a hole at the top of the bone, around ¾ inch down from the top. Insert the two hooks.
  • Apply a good even coat of the BBQ rub all over the shank.
  • Make sure your smoker is sitting at steady 300°F to 320°F. Hang the beef shank on the rack over the coals.
  • Your beef shank will be cooked at when an internal temperature hits around 205°F, this will take around 5-6 hours, but I would suggest checking the internal temperature around 4 hours. The ultimate test for doneness will be when you can insert a skewer into the shank and it slides in with no resistance "like butter".
  • Once your shank is done, remove it from the smoker and wrap tightly in heavy duty foil. Then wrap it in a towel and place it into a cooler. You can layer a towel underneath and on top for better insulation.
  • You want your shank to rest for a minimum of one hour, however it can stay like this in the cooler for up to 4 hours.
  • Once rested, carefully open the foil and start pulling the beef shank into chunks making sure to remove any tendons and gristle.
  • Construct your tacos by heating the tortilla, adding a good portion of pulled smoked beef shank, some mango salsa and a good drizzle of Alabama white sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 482kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 69g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 119mg | Sodium: 399mg | Potassium: 1231mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 8mg