Non-stunned Halal
Sourced from sustainable UK farms
Temperature-controlled Woolcool packaging
Thor's Hammer is a whole bone-in beef shin, cut long so the marrow bone stands upright like a hammer head. This Certified Halal British Angus cut arrives as a single 2-2.5kg piece, built for long, slow braising until the meat falls from the bone and the marrow melts into the sauce.
Bone, Marrow and Meat in One Long Piece
This is the whole beef shin: a single dense muscle wrapped tight around a marrow-filled leg bone, left long rather than cut into steaks or osso buco rounds. British Angus, it arrives as 1 bone-in piece per pack, weighing 2-2.5kg, with plenty of collagen to break down over hours of gentle heat.
Every animal is slaughtered by the non-stunned method, Antibiotic-free and Growth hormone-free.
Is Thor's Hammer Different From Ordinary Diced or Osso Buco Shin?
Yes. Most butchers cross-cut the shin into rounds for osso buco or dice it for stewing; Thor's Hammer is left whole and uncut, the full length of bone left in as it comes off the leg. It is supplied only this way, as a single 2-2.5kg piece per pack.
Storing and Defrosting Thor's Hammer
Keep it refrigerated until you are ready to cook, and plan ahead if it arrives frozen: this piece needs around 12 hours to defrost fully in the fridge before it goes into the pot. Freeze it on the day it arrives if you are not cooking within a day or two, and always cook from fully thawed for even, gentle braising.
Each pack holds a single 2-2.5kg piece, bone included, enough for around 6-7 servings once it is slow-braised and the meat is shredded off the bone. Order one piece for a family meal, or two pieces for a larger table.
Keep this piece refrigerated until you are ready to cook. If it reaches you frozen, allow around 12 hours for it to defrost fully before braising, and cook it from completely thawed rather than partially frozen for even results.
Thor's Hammer suits long, bone-in cooking: nihari-style shin curry, keema once the meat is shredded, osso buco-inspired braises, and Middle Eastern-style shin stews finished with a marrow-rich sauce.
Whole Braised Shin: Sear the piece all over, then braise slow and low in stock with aromatics for hours until the meat pulls away from the bone.
Shredded Keema: Cook the shin until fork-tender, then shred the meat and simmer it through a spiced keema base with onions, ginger and garlic.
Marrow Bone Stock: Once the meat is off, return the bone to the pot with vegetables for a long, slow-simmered stock.
What temperature should I braise Thor's Hammer at?
Keep the oven low, around 150-160C (fan 140-150C), or a bare simmer on the hob. A whole bone-in shin needs gentle, steady heat over several hours rather than a fast, high-temperature cook.
How long does it take at that temperature?
Budget for at least 3-4 hours once the piece is submerged in stock or liquid; the collagen around the bone needs time to soften before the meat will pull away easily.
What happens if the oven runs too hot?
High heat tightens the muscle fibres before the connective tissue has broken down, leaving the meat tough even after hours in the pot. Low and slow is what turns this cut tender.
How do I know Thor's Hammer is ready?
The meat should pull away from the bone with a fork under light pressure, and the marrow should be soft enough to scoop out. If it resists, give it more time at the same low temperature rather than raising the heat.