Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks
This lamb shank recipe is winter comfort food at its best. Chris Thomson still uses an old Pyrex 250ml cup measure that belonged to Grandma Thomson. Chris’s tips? Before adding the wine, bring it to the boil (the alcohol evaporates!) and it will impart a more mellow flavour. Cook and enjoy this dish with Best’s Bin No. 1 Shiraz.
Ingredients
4 lamb shanks, trimmed
¼ cup plain flour, seasoned
3-4 tbsp olive oil
1 brown onion, roughly diced
2 carrots, roughly diced
1-2 small celery stalks, roughly diced
4-8 garlic cloves, chopped
400g crushed tomatoes (or
400g fresh tomatoes)
1-2 tbsp tomato paste
1 sprig fresh rosemary
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 fresh sage leaf or bay leaf
1 cup (250ml) red wine
1 cup (250ml) chicken stock
Finely chopped parsley and finely grated lemon rind
Fluffy mashed potatoes or soft polenta, to serve
Method
- Preheat oven to 180°C. Dust shanks in seasoned flour. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a heavy pan and cook shanks until brown all over, about 4-5 minutes (may need to be done in two batches). Remove shanks and set aside.
- In pan, heat remaining oil, then cook onion, carrot, celery and garlic, until they begin to caramelise slightly. Add tomatoes, tomato paste and herbs, then stir to combine. Remove from heat.
- Place lamb shanks and vegetables together in a snug casserole pan, then pour over wine and stock. If shanks are not fully covered with liquid, add more stock. Cook in preheated oven for 2-2½ hours, until shanks are tender, with meat falling from bone. Stir occasionally, ensuring shanks are covered with liquid.
- If juices need thickening, stir in cornflour mixed with a little water or stock. Season and sprinkle over parsley and lemon and serve with mashed potatoes or soft polenta.
