Slow-cooked lamb shanks are a family favourite dinner simmered in a rich, Bourguignon-inspired red wine sauce, the meat just slides off the bone. It’s so delicious, start with lamb shanks that are seasoned with salt and pepper in a skillet. This meal is all about investing in beautiful, round, sweet flavours, fry your red onions in a separate pan on low medium heat for about 15 minutes until it’s dark and sweet.
While the lamb shanks are browning, you can add some raisins to the onion mixture and that will give the sauce that silkiness and depth of flavour thats incredible. Add in a splash of chicken stock, and marmalade and give it a good mix then add a tablespoon of ketchup, Worcester sauce and then let that blip and bubble up. Add in a smooth dark ale, sprinkle of salt and pepper and then the lamb shanks go in.
Remember you have all the flavours that are in the middle of the shank bone, in there is the bone marrow and in return, it’s going to kick out the juice with the most incredible flavour. Top that up with a little chicken stock and then allow it to simmer for 3 hours. Once cooked take it out of the cooking pot and you could serve the sauce as it is or you can make it dark and silky.
To liquidize the sauce just whizz it up and the point of this is to get it smooth, silky smooth. Bash up some mint leaves then add in olive oil. These lamb shanks go well with mashed potatoes do serve your mashed potatoes then top with the melt-in-your-mouth lamb chops then add the thick silky sauce at then add the tiny amount of mint oil.
Ingredients;
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil divided
- 4 – 6 lamb shanks trimmed of excess fat
- 1 large white onion diced
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 2 large carrots sliced 1/2-inch thick
- 1 pinch of coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 cups beef stock
- 14 oz (400 g) passata (tomato puree or American tomato sauce)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 beef bouillon cubes crushed
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley finely chopped (divided)
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt and pepper to season
Instructions;
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Wash and pat dry lamb shanks with a paper towel.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a heavy based pot over medium-high heat.
- Sear two shanks in the hot oil until browned on all sides. Repeat with remaining shanks and oil.
- Transfer to a plate, tent with foil to keep warm, set aside.
- To the pan juices, sauté the carrots and diced onions until softened, (about 3 minutes), then add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Return the shanks back into the pot; season with 1 teaspoon coarse salt and 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper.
- Sprinkle with flour, toss well and cook for 4-5 minutes to brown the flour.
- Add stock, wine, puree, tomato paste, bouillon, and herbs. Bring to a simmer on the stove.
- Cover, transfer to the lower part of the oven and cook for 2 1/2 hours, or until the meat is falling apart tender.
- Gently transfer the shanks onto a plate; tent to keep warm.
- Discard the bay leaves from the sauce and place pot onto the stove.
- Simmer sauce over medium heat until thickened to your desired consistency.
- Taste for seasoning and adjust salt and pepper, if desired. Add the shanks back into the pot of sauce.
- Garnish with parsley and serve with mashed potatoes, rice or pasta.