Perfectly Smoke Beef Shin Recipe aka Thor's Hammer | Smoked BBQ Co

recipe

Ready to wield the mighty power of Thor’s Hammer...on your BBQ? This epic Smoked Beef Shin recipe doesn’t just bring the thunder—it brings tender, mouth-watering perfection.

Smoked Beef shin or Thor's Hammer is an absolute treat that you need to put on your list of must do's if you haven't already. We make pulled beef shin tacos with bone marrow from this epic cut!

This legendary cut, packed with bold flavours and smoky goodness that’ll make you feel like the hero of any backyard BBQ.

And if you need any low & slow advice or guidance, or simply help finding a product just for you, chat with us today, online or instore. We're passionate about all things BBQ. We encourage you to give this recipe a whirl and let us know how you get on.

Enjoy!!

Cook Time - Average 8-9 hours

Ingredients

Whole Beef Shin
Stef The Maori - Rub One Out All Purpose
Butchers BBQ - Private Seasoning
The Four Saucemen - The Black Rub
GMG Texas Blend Pellets
Bone Broth or Beef Stock
Red Wine - optional
Worcestershire Sauce - optional

Method

Preheat smoker to 225f / 107c - 250f / 121c

Step 1.

Trim the silver skin from the outside of the shin.

Step 2.

Apply your favourite rub or rubs - we have layered this with Stef the Maoris All Purpose rub, followed by Butchers BBQ Private Seasoning and then finished with The Four Saucemen The Black Rub.
TIP - We simply used a few small drops of oil and rubber this over the shin before applying the rubs. You can use binders such as mustard also.

Step 3.

Smoke for 4-5 hours or until desired colour & most importantly the bark is set - Always wrap or boat to colour and setting the bark not to temperature!

Step 4.

Boat the beef hammer in a tray standing if possible – add bone broth or beef stock (red wine / Worcestershire / herbs optional) and cover the tray with foil.
Use enough liquid to fill between a quarter to half the depth of your tray and wrap tightly with foil.
FYI - Boating is a higher moisture content cook than wrapping and high working muscles love this method.

Step 5.

Return to the smoker for around 3-4 hours checking for doneness from 200f/93c – can be ready anywhere from 200f/93c – 210f/100c.

Smoked beef shin resting on wooden cutting board

Step 6.

Once it probes with no resistance & like soft butter- Remove from smoker and unwrap to burp (remove steam) for 10- 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reduces to 80c/175f.
Then wrap in foil or peach paper, fold in a towel and place in an esky lid on to rest for minimum 1 hour – the longer the better.

Step 7.

Reduce the cooking stock on a gentle simmer until desired consistency and flavour is reached, this can be used by itself to sauce your meat once it is shredded, or you can add this reduced cooking stock to your favourite BBQ sauce to add another dimension of flavour.
To Finish - Once the meat has rested remove the bone but do not discard it! Shred the beef and then pour all the marrow out of the bone over the shredded beef and mix together well.
Now you can add the cooking liquid or sauce of your choice to your desired taste!