GYUSUJI NIKOMI SIMMERED VEAL SHANK AND TENDON 牛すじ煮込み

I love a giant pot of gyusuji nikomi gurgling away on the back burner. There is nothing light about this dish. It’s nearly black because of the dark shoyu and hatcho miso, and the veal shanks cook long past where the meat has fallen from the bones. The connective tissues in the shank, after hours of simmering, begin to melt, enriching the sauce and giving it a deep luster. In Japan, gyusuji nikomi is made from beef tendon, which is sold with a bit of meat attached and is widely available in grocery stores. It’s hard to find it here (tendons are often turned into dog chews), so this recipe uses mostly the hardworking leg muscle meat with the tendons that connect them to the bone. If you happen to find beef tendons sold on their own, substitute them for a third of the shanks in the recipe.

Put the veal shanks, half of the ginger, and half of the scallion tops in a large pot. Add cold water to cover by a few inches / 5 centimeters and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn down the heat so the water is simmering and simmer for about an hour, or until the shanks are totally cooked through (an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the shank should register 145°F / 63°C). Drain, discard the vegetables, and rinse the beef in a bowl of fresh water. Wash the pot.

Once the shanks are cool enough to handle, cut the meat and tendons from the bones; discard the bones. Cut the meat and tendons into bite-sized pieces. Wrap the remaining scallion tops and chile peppers in a piece of cheesecloth and secure with kitchen twine. Place the cloth package at the bottom of the clean pot and cover with the cut meat and the remaining ginger slices. Add the sugar, dashi, sake, and mirin and bring to a boil over high heat. Using a spider or a slotted spoon, skim any foam that rises to the surface. Turn down the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour, periodically skimming any foam that rises to the surface, until the tendons become soft and gelatinous. Remove the cloth package and discard. Add the shoyu and red and hatcho miso, stirring to dissolve the miso. Cook for another 10 minutes, until the sauce is glossy.

Ladle into bowls and serve with shichimi, scallions, and yuzu alongside.