Lamb Shank Slow-Cooked in Red Wine
Another autumnal meal – this time, it’s lamb shank slow-cooked in red wine to perfection in the oven.
We invited our former nanny over for lunch to spend some time with us and Lady Yeya before tighter Covid restrictions come into force. She is a big fan of lamb. So in her honour, we’ll have a red wine braised lamb shank with a side of creamy mashed potatoes and sauteed green beans for lunch.
If I am honest, we rarely make lamb at home, save for maybe for Easter lunch, but even then, it is usually a honey-baked ham. The truth is I was never a fan of lamb until I moved to the U.K. about ten years ago. Most people love lamb or hate it. I fell into the latter camp. For me, lamb is far too gamey for my liking.
Fast forward some years later, I have learned to like lamb. But this all depends on which cut, the amount of fat, and how it is prepared. I’d happily order Indian lamb chops with some mint chutney any day. Likewise, I’d gladly take a roasted leg of lamb with a side of potatoes for a delicious Sunday roast.
Lamb’s Distinctive Gamey Flavour
So why does lamb taste so gamey? Well, the lamb’s distinctive and strong flavour all comes down to its fat composition. Apparently, the branched-chain fatty acids produced by a bacteria in the lamb’s rumen is responsible for the gamey flavour. The level of pungency depends on the lamb’s diet. In particular free-range grass-fed lamb tends to be more gamey than grain-fed lamb. To minimise the level of gamey flavour, it is advised to trim the fat or simply buy a leaner cut of meat.
For lunch, I decided to make lamb shank simply because I wanted an easy slow-cooking recipe. This would allow me to spend time with my guest instead of in the kitchen. Lamb shank is relatively an inexpensive cut of meat but tough. As such, lamb shanks require slow-cooking to get the meat as tender and full of flavour as possible. With a handful of staple ingredients — onions, carrots, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, tomato paste, and beef broth plus a bottle of dry red wine — makes for a delicious home-cooked and elegant meal.
The gravy is not only rich but oozing with tons of flavour so do not let this go to waste if you have extra gravy. Use the gravy for a moussaka or a classic shepherd’s pie. And if you have a dog, then they will go mad for the bone borrow. A win-win for the entire family and the perfect recipe for a Sunday family lunch.
So if you are looking for an elegant meal without slaving away in the kitchen, then this easy slow-cooked lamb shank is for you.
Slow-Cooked Lamb Shank in Red Wine
Ingredients
- 4 lamb shanks around 13 oz / 400g each
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 – 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup yellow onion finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup carrot finely diced
- 1 cup celery finely diced
- 2 1/2 cups red wine full bodied
- 2 x 400 g can crushed tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 5 sprigs of thyme
- 2 dried bay leaves
- Garnish with fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
For the lamb shank
- Preheat the oven to 350F/180C.
- Pat the lamb shanks dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper all over the lamb shank.
- Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a Dutch oven over high heat. When the pot is hot, sear the lamb shanks in 2 batches. About 2 minutes on each side, until brown all over. Remove lamb onto a plate and drain excess fat from the pot.
- Over medium-low heat, heat remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil in the same pot. Add the onion and garlic, saute for 3-4 minutes. Add carrot and celery. Cook for 5 minutes until onion is translucent and sweet.
- Add the red wine, chicken stock, crushed tomato, tomato paste, thyme and bay leaves. Stir to combine.
- Place the lamb shanks into the pot until the meat is mostly submerged.
- Turn to medium-high heat and bring to an energetic simmer. Cover, then transfer to the oven for 2 hours.
- After 2 hours, remove lid and cook for another 30 minutes.
- After 2.5 hours, check to ensure lamb meat is tender by using two forks to pull the meat apart. If not, cover and keep cooking.
- Remove lamb onto plate and keep warm. Pick out and discard bay leaves and thyme.
For the sauce
- Strain the sauce into a bowl, pressing to extract all sauce out of the vegetables. Alternatively, you can use a hand blender and blitz the sauce into a thick puree. Bring to simmer over medium heat. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve the lamb shanks on mashed potato. Garnish with thyme leaves if desired.
Notes
