The most tender of cuts, the deepest of flavours - slow braised lamb shank in red wine
Now that the nights are starting to draw in and the leaves are starting to come off the trees it's time to start cooking some autumnal comfort dishes, that means big bold flavours and it does not come bigger or bolder than this dish.
A low braised lamb shank is truly a thing of beauty, cooked for hours on end until the meat is ready to fall off the bone then roasted in the cooking liquor to give it a sticky, rich glaze on the outside. This dish is a real treat in our household and I love to serve it with some honey roast chantenay carrots, chap mash and a reduction of the lamb cooking liquor.
When I first started cooking this dish it was considered a cheap cut of meat but over the years it has become more and more appreciated for the flavour that it contains, so much so that I could have bought a rack of lamb for less than what I paid for 2 shanks.
To get the best out of your lamb shanks start by dusting them with seasoned flour and sealing them off in a hot frying pan to caramelize the outside of the meat.
Place the shanks in a heavy bottomed pan add in a glass of red wine, 2 ltrs of beef stock, a couple of cloves of garlic and a few sprigs of fresh rosemary. Bring the cooking liquid to the boil, place a lid on your pan and place in an oven at 150c for 2 hour 45 minutes or until the meat is ready to fall off the bone.
Remove the shanks from the cooking liquor and place them in a roasting tin. Skim any fat off the cooking liquor and reduce the liquid by half. Pour the liquid over the shanks and place back in the oven. Every 10 minutes take a couple of spoons of the stock and pour it over the shanks. After half an hour of roasting your shanks should be tender and full of flavour.
