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Shanks -- front vs. rear


snowangel

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I spent a pleasant morning with my father-in-law today, skinning a deer. We removed the tenderloin things and the backstraps and then quartered the doe.

So, I have the shanks. It's just way, way too much work to remove the meat.

So, my (stupid) question of the day: Is there a different between the shanks from the front and rear quarters on a four legged animal?

Susan Fahning aka "snowangel"
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Susan, that's not at all a stupid question. Rear legs are bigger, more powerful and meatier. From the knees down though, it's almost the same, in my experience.

I don't differentiate front and back pork hocks, or the shanks of lamb and goat. All four "shins" perform the same task so I don't think there would be much difference regarding preparation or taste.

Peter Gamble aka "Peter the eater"

I just made a cornish game hen with chestnut stuffing. . .

Would you believe a pigeon stuffed with spam? . . .

Would you believe a rat filled with cough drops?

Moe Sizlack

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We didn't keep the "below the knees" part. On a deer, it's a lot of tendons for a tablespoon's worth of meat. I'm thinking that an animal that is as active as a deer (they just "bounce" and they prance, the below-the-kneed part is a lot of muscle and very little meat.

Susan Fahning aka "snowangel"
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If you have rear shanks, they actually are below the knees. The part that is all tendon and bone is the metapodial. These are often confused with the lower leg, but that long bone is really part of the foot. At any rate, I love to braise venison shanks on the bone, and like Peter I don't draw distinctions between front and rear.

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We didn't keep the "below the knees" part. On a deer, it's a lot of tendons for a tablespoon's worth of meat. I'm thinking that an animal that is as active as a deer (they just "bounce" and they prance, the below-the-kneed part is a lot of muscle and very little meat.

They are rather bouncy -- not like cows at all.

I shouldn't use words like knee and shins as it's not the same on us humans. I say this while looking at my "meat map" reference book. I think you should make venison trotters!

Peter Gamble aka "Peter the eater"

I just made a cornish game hen with chestnut stuffing. . .

Would you believe a pigeon stuffed with spam? . . .

Would you believe a rat filled with cough drops?

Moe Sizlack

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We didn't keep the "below the knees" part. On a deer, it's a lot of tendons for a tablespoon's worth of meat. I'm thinking that an animal that is as active as a deer (they just "bounce" and they prance, the below-the-kneed part is a lot of muscle and very little meat.

Sounds perfect for stock making.

PS: I am a guy.

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