Braised Beef with veggies

4- 6 beef shanks cross cut
1 cup flour
salt and pepper
olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 onion (I like purple) diced
2 carrots scrubbed and diced
Zest of one lemon peeled with a vegetable peeler (wide and long pieces)
5 cloves of garlic peeled and smashed
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup Italian parsley chopped coarse
1 cup apple juice
2 cups beef broth
5 Yukon potatoes cubed

Preheat oven to 375'.  Heat 3 count of olive oil in large oven proof heavy pot. Salt and pepper beef shanks.  Dredge beef shanks in flour and place in large pot.  Brown beef until well seared on the outside, about 5 - 7 minutes each side.  Remove beef to plate.

(NOTE:  I cut up the vegetables, lemon, garlic and parsley and placed them all in a bowl before I started the beef.)  Place butter in pot and melt.  Add the onion, carrots, lemon peel, smashed garlic, bay leaves and parsley.  Stir constantly until garlic is golden brown.  Salt and pepper veggies to taste.  Add apple juice, beef broth and stir to combine.

Add the beef shank back into the pot and cover with a tight lid.  Place pot in oven for 1 1/2 hours.  Add potatoes and cook for an additional 30 minutes.

NOTE:  I will make this before church and set the delay start on the oven so I just have to add the potatoes - that I have cut up before church - and savor the incredibly tender beef with rich beef 'gravy'.