Every so often we come across a cut of meat that takes food presentation over the top. Tomahawk ribeyes have that “wow” factor with their extra long bone, as do Fred Flintstone-sized beef plate ribs and anything related to pork belly. Another one that is gaining momentum across social media is the aptly named Thor’s Hammer, a beef shank that has an extended bone that has been Frenched (i.e. the meat has been cut away to expose the bone) to create the handle of the “hammer.”
Leave it to our good friend Sterling “Big Poppa” Ball to take an already outstanding cut and make it even more epic with his latest creation, Thor’s Hammer Tacos! Get started cooking by checking out the recipe and video below.
Note: This recipe is brought to you by Cooking with Big Poppa. Be sure to check out the Big Poppa Smokers’ website here for even more great recipes and for a variety of BBQ and grilling gear including the rubs and sauce used in this recipe!
Ingredients
Method
- Prep. Season the beef shanks generously with a blend of Big Poppa’s Cash Cow and Jallelujah Lime Seasoning. Allow them to rest while you prepare your smoker or grill.
- Roughly chop the onion. Remove the stem and seeds from the red bell pepper and roughly chop. Chop the cilantro if using.
- Fire up. Pre-heat your smoker, or if you are using a grill, set it up for indirect cooking. Bring the temperature of the smoker or grill to 250°F (107°C).
- Cook. Place the beef shanks bone side up on the smoker or grill over indirect heat. Let them cook for 4 hours.
- After 4 hours, lay the beef shanks horizontally on the smoker or grill over indirect heat. Cook them until the meat reaches an internal temperature reaches 180°F, approximately 20 minutes.
- Transfer the beef shanks to a foil pan. Pour half of a 25-ounce bottle of Chef Merito Fajitas Marinade over them. Cover the meat and pan with foil and return to the smoker or grill at 275°F until they reach an internal temperature of 195°F, approximately 2 hours.
- While the meat is resting, heat a grill to at least 450°F (232.2°C), a.k.a. Warp 10. If you do not have an additional grill available, wait until you remove the meat then crank the heat up while the meat rests.
- Grill the Mexican green onions, white onions, jalapenos, and red bell peppers, turning them frequently. Season them with Big Poppa’s Little Louie’s Garlic Pepper as you grill them. Grill the vegetables until they have a nice char, approximately 10 minutes.
- Once the meat reaches an internal temperature of 195°F, remove the pan from the smoker or grill and allow them to rest for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are grilled before shredding.
- Serve. Shred the beef shanks and serve them alongside the corn tortillas and optional taco toppings and sides such as beans, Spanish rice, pickled jalapenos and carrots, guacamole, salsa, cilantro, and/or sour cream. Create a taco assembly station with the grilled vegetables for a festive and customizable dining experience.
