3 or 4 beef shanks (about 2 ½ pounds)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup flour
Salt and pepper

2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1 to 2 inch pieces
1 small onion quartered
2 stalks celery, cut into 1 to 2 inch pieces
3 cloves garlic, quartered
¾ cup of homemade meat sauce (use jar sauce if you have to)
¾ cup red wine
1 cup beef broth, homemade or canned
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
4 fresh oregano leaves, cleaned
4 fresh basil leaves, cleaned
Salt and pepper

Cavatelli pasta, cooked and drained

Parmesan cheese, grated

1. Step one – Rinse the beef shanks and pat dry with a paper towel.
On a pie plate, place flour and add salt and pepper, mix well.
In a large frying pan, add olive oil, heat on medium high. Dredge the beef shanks
in the flour, tapping off the excess. Place shanks in frying pan, browning quickly,
about 5 minutes on each side, searing the meat.
Transfer meat to a crock pot. Put crock pot on low.
2. Step two – Into the frying pan, add onion, carrots, celery and garlic. If needed add another tablespoon of olive oil on a medium flame. Stir vegetables while cooking for about 10 minutes and get tender. Add meat sauce and blend well for a few minutes. Continue cooking, add wine and using a wooden spoon scrape up and beef bits from the bottom of the pan. When everything is scrapped up and mixed well, transfer vegetables to crock pot.
3. Add beef broth, vinegar, basil and oregano, salt and pepper. Cook on low until meat and vegetables tender to the touch, 6 to 8 hours.
4. Serve hot over Cavatelli or other pasta. Option: Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese for garnish.
5. ENJOY- Slowly goes it, but quickly it’s gone!

©  This recipe courtesy of Somebodys-Mom.com