Southwest Beef Shanks & Black Beans

Total Time: 9 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 9 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 lb black beans, sorted and washed
• 2 yellow onions, coursely chopped
• 1 (28 ounce) can chopped tomatoes with juice
• 1 (7 ounce) can diced green anaheim chilies
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups beef broth (homade is best)
• 1 tablespoon cumin, freshly ground
• 1 teaspoon mexican oregano (not as sweet as mediterranean)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 smoked chipotle chile in adobo, finely minced (1 chili, not 1 can! if you don't like hot chilies it would be wise to experiment but do use a bit, t)
• 3 -4 lbs beef shanks, trimmed of fat
• 1/4 cup masa harina (if you can't find masa harina but do look for the masa harina it's worth the effort.) or 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal (if you can't find masa harina but do look for the masa harina it's worth the effort.)
• 4 key limes, juice of
• 4 key limes, zest of
• 1 (15 ounce) can hominy, drained and rinsed

Recipe

• 1 in hot weather move the crock pot out to the shade of the patio table.
• 2 put everything through the chipotle chilie into crock pot, mix well.
• 3 work beef shanks down under the beans.
• 4 cover and cook on low heat for 9-10 hours.
• 5 remove beef shanks to a cooling rack.
• 6 skim fat from stew.
• 7 raise heat to high.
• 8 stir in masa harina, mix well.
• 9 add hominy.
• 10 stir well.
• 11 trim meat from bones.
• 12 cut into bite size pieces.
• 13 return to pot.
• 14 cook 20 minutes more.
• 15 let cool and chill overnight. reheat to serve or may be frozen for later.
• 16 stir a bit of key lime zest & juice into each bowl just before serving.