Slow Braised Lamb Shanks in Red Wine
As the colder weather sets in, there is something comforting about a plate of decadent lamb shank with creamy mash and a rich red wine sauce. These shanks are from Dorper Lamb which had a milder less gamey flavour which we find suits this recipe perfectly.
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Ingredients
4 Lamb Shanks
Salt & pepper
Splash oil
1 medium onioned finely diced
1 medium carrot finely diced
2 stick celery finely diced
3 cloves of garlic minced
1 bottle of good red wine Cab Sauv
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon of butter
2 cups chicken or veal stock
Method
Preheat the oven to 350F/180C.
- Defrost the Lamb Shanks Overnight in your refrigerator
- Pat the lamb shanks dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a heavy-based pot over high heat. Sear the lamb shanks in 2 batches until brown all over, about 5 minutes.
- Remove lamb onto a plate and drain excess fat (if any) from the pot.
- Turn the heat down to medium-low. Heat remaining 1 tbsp of oil in the same pot, if needed. Add the onion and garlic and, cook for 2 minutes.
- Add carrot and celery. Cook for 5 minutes until onion is translucent and sweet, add the tomato paste and cook for a further 2 minutes
- Add the red wine, chicken stock, crushed tomato, thyme, and bay leaves. Stir to combine.
- Place the lamb shanks into the pot, squeezing them in to fit so they are mostly submerged.
- Turn the stove up, bring to a simmer. Cover, then transfer to the oven for 2 hours
- Remove from oven, remove the lid, then return to the oven for another 30 minutes (so 2 1/2 hours in total). Check to ensure lamb meat is ultra-tender (use 2 forks) - if not, cover and keep cooking. The ideal is tender meat but still just holding onto the bone.
- Remove lamb onto a plate and keep warm. Pick out and discard bay leaves and thyme.
- Strain the sauce into a bowl, pressing to extract all sauce out of the veggies (Pour the strained sauce back into the pot. Bring to simmer over medium heat and reduce slightly to a syrupy consistency, add the butter to the sauce then taste then add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve the lamb shanks on mashed potato or cauliflower puree with plenty of sauce! Garnish with thyme leaves if desired.
5-6 Lamb Shanks
