Smoked Thor's Hammer

4.67 from 45 votes

Channel your inner Viking and serve this show-stopping Smoked Thor's Hammer at your next gathering! As delicious as it is impressive, turn it into the centerpiece of a nacho or taco bar, or serve it with all your favorite sides!

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: beef, beef shank, bone broth, smoked beef, smoked Thor's Hammer, Thor's Hammer

Servings: servings

Calories: 233kcal

Author: Chef Jenn

Equipment

1 Traeger pellet grill
Pellets
Digital meat thermometer
Heavy duty aluminum foil
Large foil pan

Ingredients

1 beef shank 2-inches of the bone Frenched, the meat trimmed and tied. 8-10 pounds.
2 tablespoons coarse salt
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 cup butter
2 cloves garlic
1 chipotle pepper
1 tablespoon adobo sauce
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 tabelspoon lime juice

Instructions

Preheat your smoker to 180-F as per the manufacturer's directions.
Rub the beef shank with cooking oil then sprinkle on salt and pepper. You want it well-seasoned.
Lay the shank on the smoker bone side down and smoke it at 180-F for about 4 hours.
Make the compound butter while the shank is smoking by pulsing the softened butter, garlic, chipotle peppers and adobo sauce, paprika, onion powder, and lime juice in a food processor until well mixed.
Remove the butter from food processor and wrap it in plastic. Refrigerate it for at least an hour or until it is hard.
Remove the shank from the smoker and get ready to wrap it in foil. You'll need heavy duty foil, or 2 layers of regular aluminum foil.
Slice about 2/3 of the compound butter and add it to the top of the shank before enclosing it in the foil.
Set the wrapped shank into an aluminum foil pan to catch any drips if you spring a leak in your foil. Don't worry if it doesn't fit - the bone end can stick out of the container.
Smoke at 300-F for an additional 5-6 hours or until the meat reaches 205-F with an internal thermometer.
Remove from the smoker and let it rest about 30 minutes (still wrapped) before serving.
Spoon the accumulated juices over the meat and you can also melt the rest of the chipotle butter to spoon over the top. Then serve!

Notes

Chef Jenn's Tips

This is not a quick smoke. Beef shank is filled with connective tissue, and it is tough meat - it's going to take a while to get tender.
Season the meat aggressively - the shank can take it.
You can finish it in the oven if you don't want to burn the pellets. It won't take on any more smoke flavor after the initial smoke.
The smoking and braising combination works wonders on this meat, infusing it with amazing flavors.

Nutrition