Lamb shanks: Spark your taste buds to life. Image: Carla Zinkfontein.
Lamb shanks – Indulge in this flavour-packed meal
Prepare a five star meal for your guests with this lip-smackingly delicious lamb shanks recipe.
Lamb shanks: Spark your taste buds to life. Image: Carla Zinkfontein.
Succulent and tender, lamb shanks are a firm favourite to prepare for a special occasion or as an appetising Sunday meal. This recipe includes a delicious sauce that will tempt you to lick your plate afterwards.
This lamb shanks recipe serves four to six people and can be served on a bed of white, fluffy rice. Some crispy green veggies also pair well with this flavour-packed meal.
The secret to getting your lamb shanks fall off the bone tender is to cook it very slowly in the oven for three hours. This gives the shanks time to cook through and infuse with the rich flavours. Using red wine in this recipe adds another dimension of depth to the lamb shanks.
If you want to add a lip-smackingly delicious sauce, skim off any additional fat which rises to the surface. You should then be left with about three cups of sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add a few tablespoons of stock. If the sauce is too thin, boil it over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until reduced to the right consistency.
This recipe is best kept for those times you want to impress your guests. Serve with a glass of red wine for the ultimate indulgence and enjoyment of flavours.
Lamb shanks recipe
Course: MainCuisine: GlobalDifficulty: EasyServings
4-6
servingsPrep time
15
minutesCooking time
3
hoursTotal time
3
hours15
minutesIngredients
2 tablespoons 2 extra-virgin olive oil divided
4-6 4-6 lamb shanks trimmed of excess fat
1 large 1 white onion, diced
6 cloves 6 garlic, minced
2 large 2 carrots, sliced ½-inch thick
1 pinch 1 coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
¼ cup ¼ flour
2 cups 2 beef stock
1½ cups 1½ red wine like Merlot Pinot Noir, or a Chianti (optional). You can substitute it with extra stock.
400 g 400 passata (tomato puree or American tomato sauce)
2 tablespoons 2 tomato paste
2 cubes 2 beef bouillon, crushed
1 teaspoon 1 fresh rosemary, finely chopped
2 tablespoons 2 fresh parsley finely chopped (divided)
2 2 bay leaves
salt and pepper to season
Method
- Preheat the oven to 175°C.
- Wash and pat dry the 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 ½ teaspoon ground pepper. Sprinkle with flour, toss well and cook for 4 – 5 minutes to brown the flour.
- Add the stock, wine, puree, tomato paste, bouillon and herbs. Bring to a simmer on the stove. Cover, transfer to lower part of the oven and cook for 2½ hours, or until the meat is fall-apart tender (adjust the heat so that the liquid simmers very slowly). Gently transfer the shanks onto a plate; tent to keep warm.
- Discard the bay leaves from the sauce and place the pot onto the stove. Simmer the sauce over medium heat until thickened to your desired consistency.
- Optional: Skim off any additional fat which rises to the surface. You should be left with about 3 cups of sauce thick enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon. If the sauce is too thick, add a few tablespoons of stock. If the sauce is too thin, boil it over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until reduced to the right consistency.
Notes
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