Glazed Beef Shanks with Coffee and Peanuts

Ingredients

• 4 (about 1 1/2-pound) osso buco–cut Angus beef shanks (about 2 inches thick), tied
• 2 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 cup peanut oil
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled plum tomatoes (such as Cento), undrained
• 1 large yellow onion, sliced
• 3/4 cup 1/4-inch-thick unpeeled fresh ginger slices
• 3/4 cup garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 red Fresno chile, unseeded and halved lengthwise
• 5 chiles de árbol
• 3 cups strong-brewed coffee
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 teaspoons toasted coriander seeds
• 1 1/2 teaspoons toasted cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon toasted fenugreek seeds
• 1 toasted cinnamon stick
• 4 toasted Tellicherry peppercorns
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• Finely crushed roasted peanuts, finely ground coffee beans, and fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

Instructions

1. Sprinkle beef all over with salt. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour, or chill, uncovered, at least 8 hours or up to overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 300°F. (If beef was chilled overnight, let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.) Heat oil in a roasting pan over medium-high until starting to smoke. Add beef; cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from pan. While beef browns, process plum tomatoes in a blender until smooth, about 15 seconds; set aside.
3. Reduce heat under roasting pan to medium. Add onion, ginger, and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally and scraping bottom of pan to loosen any browned bits, until onion is softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, Fresno chile, and chiles de árbol; cook, stirring often, until mixture is fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir in coffee and pureed tomatoes. Bring mixture to a boil over medium; boil, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes.
4. Return beef to pan, nestling into tomato mixture; add 11/2 cups water, coriander, cumin, fenugreek, cinnamon stick, and peppercorns. Return mixture to a boil over medium. Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil. Transfer to preheated oven; roast until beef is fork-tender, 2 hours and 30 minutes to 3 hours. Uncover and continue to roast 30 minutes.
5. Remove from oven; let stand 15 minutes. Remove beef from pan, and cover beef with foil to keep warm. Pour braising liquid in pan through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a heatproof bowl; discard solids. Wipe pan clean. Return braising liquid to pan. Bring to a boil over medium-high; reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid is slightly thickened and reduced to about 5 cups, 15 to 20 minutes.
6. Whisk peanut butter into reduced sauce in pan until smooth; season with salt to taste. Return beef to pan; cook over medium-low, basting occasionally, until warmed through, 8 to 10 minutes. Garnish with crushed peanuts, ground coffee beans, and cilantro. Serve immediately.