Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks
- Replies 8
This recipe needs to be slow cooked
Even though the sauce has red wine you can't taste it after it is cooked but is a must have ingredient.
Even though the sauce has red wine you can't taste it after it is cooked but is a must have ingredient.
Ingredients
- 4 lamb shanks , around 350 – 400g
- 1/2 tsp cooking salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil , separated
- 3 garlic cloves , finely minced or jar garlic
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 4 cups (1 litre) beef stock/broth, low sodium or low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 cup water
RED WINE MARINADE
- 1 small onion , finely diced (brown, yellow or white)
- 1 small carrot , finely diced
- 1 celery stem , finely diced
- 3 cups (750 ml) red wine , any dry red wine , not expensive!
- 5 sprigs of thyme (preferably tied together), or 2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
SAUCE THICKENER
- 6 tsp cornflour
- 2 tbsp water
- 30 g / 2 tbsp cold unsalted butter , cut into 1cm / 1/2" cubes
Instructions
- Marinate 24 hrs – Place the lamb shanks in a bowl or container with the Red Wine Marinade ingredients. Arrange the shanks as best you can so the meaty is submerged in the wine. Cover the bowl then marinate in the fridge for 24 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan).
- Reduce wine – Strain the red wine into a large saucepan (leave the shanks, veg & herbs in colander). Bring to a rapid simmer over medium-high then reduce simmer for 15 minutes until reduced by half. Scoop off and discard any scum that rises to the surface.
- Sear shanks – Pat shanks dry with paper towels. Then sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil over high heat in a large heavy based pot. Sear the shanks 2 at a time until browned all over – about 5 minutes. Remove onto a plate and repeat.
- Drain and scared excess fat from the pot. Reduce stove to medium low. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the wine-stained vegetables and herbs from the colander, plus the garlic. Cook for 5 minutes. Add tomato paste, then cook for 2 minutes.
- Braising liquid – Add the reduced red wine, stock and water then stir. Add lamb shanks into the liquid, arranging so the meaty ends are submerged as best you can. Don't worry if they're not fully submerged, they will shrink as they cook and end up under the liquid, plus exposed bits get steam-cooked anyway.
- Slow-cook – Turn stove up and bring the liquid to a simmer. Then cover and transfer to the oven for 2 hours and 20 minutes or until the meat is fork-tender and barely holding onto the bone.
- Remove lamb shanks from the pot onto a plate. Loosely cover with foil to keep warm
- Reduce sauce – Strain the sauce into a bowl but do not press the juices out of the vegetables (makes the sauce grainy). Pour the sauce back into the pot then simmer rapidly for 10 to 15 minutes over medium heat to reduce to 2 cups (500 ml) – keep an eye on it towards the end, it reduces fast!
- Thicken sauce – Mix the cornflour with the water then add to the sauce (if using homemade stock, start with half and add more as needed). Simmer for 2 minutes or until it becomes a thin syrupy consistency.
- Remove the pot from the stove. Add butter then whisk until it melts – the sauce will thicken more.
- Taste the sauce and add more salt if needed.
- Serve – Place the lamb shanks on mashed potato then spoon over sauce! (If shanks have cooled more than ideal, reheat covered in foil at 150°C/300°F (130°C fan))
.png){kind=icon}
