Beef – How to cook beef shank so that it is fall-off-the-bone tender

You can do a low temperature cook on your ribs the same way you would do your pork shoulders. It's just the cooking times are shorter, that's all.

Set your oven to 250-275F, and roast those ribs until they're done. I've had beef ribs done in as few as 3-4 hours, but as many as 5. Optionally, you can foil your ribs about halfway into your cook, with some liquid in the foil pack. Just be aware that they'll cook faster if they're foiled. And depending on your preference, you may want to take them out of the foil to finish them.

The cut is important for both techniques. For sauteing, you need a lean cut - fillet, sirloin, or good rump steak. These should be cooked quickly over a high heat. As Cerberus has suggested, if you are cooking something else in the same pan, take the beef out and re-add it later; don't boil it in a sauce.

Stewing beef needs some fat and cartilage which breaks down during slow cooking and tenderises the meat. Packs of such beef are usually sold as such in the supermarket; look for a pack with plenty of fat marbled through the meat; 'Lean stewing steak' is as useful as a waterproof teabag! My personal favourite stewing beef is brisket, as it breaks down into nice tender fibres after 2-3 hours cooking.

Contrary to popular belief, browning meat does nothing to 'seal in the juices'. It simply provides a bit of extra colour and flavour by 'caramelising' the outside a little. So if you have a strong flavoured stew (like a chilli, for example), just throw the chunks of meat straight into the sauce.