Braised Lamb Shanks in Red Wine Sauce
Falling off the bone tenderness, with tons of melting collagen, this is a classic dish that is worthy of fine dining restaurants yet is completely straightforward to make.
Category
Braised Lamb Shanks in Red Wine Sauce
Servings
2
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
2 hours
Falling off the bone tenderness, with tons of melting collagen, this is a classic dish that is worthy of fine dining restaurants yet is completely straightforward to make.
Lamb shanks usually go well with creamy mashed potatoes or a buttery cauliflower mash
Alternatively, serve lamb shanks with plain rice or pasta - Basically anything to drizzle all the mouthwatering sauce with. There is so much flavour here, therefore a fairly plain side will be a better choice.
JK
Ingredients
-
Lamb shanks trimmed of excess fat x2
-
Extra-light olive oil divided 1 tbs
-
Large white onion, diced, 0.5
-
Shallot x1, chopped
-
Garlic cloves x2, minced
-
Large carrot x1, chopped into larger cubes
-
A good pinch of coarse salt
-
Freshly ground pepper
-
Flour, a pinch
-
Beef stock or chicken stock, 1 cup, low sodium, or water if preferred
-
Dry red wine like Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, or Malbec; 0.75 cup
-
Canned tomatoes, crushed, 400g
-
Tomato paste 1 tbsp
-
Fresh rosemary finely chopped 0.5 tps
-
Fresh thyme, 3 sprigs; or dried thyme, 1 tps
-
Bay leaves x1
-
Salt and pepper to season
Directions
Defrost your lamb shanks, pat dry before cooking.
Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a heavy based pot over medium-high heat. Place the two lamb shanks in the hot oil until all sides are browned.
Transfer the lamb shanks to a plate and set a side. Cover loosely with foil to keep warm.
Remove excess fat in the pan (if any). Turn fire to low, sizzle garlic for about 5-10 minutes or until garlic is browned, and the aroma is absorbed into the pan juice.
In the same pan, sauté the carrots, shallot and diced onions until softened, about 4-5 minutes. Return the shanks back into the pot; season with coarse salt and ground pepper.
Add stock, wine, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and herbs. Bring to a simmer on the stove.
Cover, transfer to the lower part of the oven and cook for 1 1/2 hours, or until the meat is falling apart. Adjust the heat so that the liquid simmers slowly.
Gently transfer the shanks onto a plate; keep warm.
Discard the bay leaves from the sauce and place the pot on the stove. Simmer sauce over medium heat until thickened to your desired consistency. If you think the sauce is too thin, add a little bit flour and keep boiling for a little longer until it reaches the right thickness. On the other hand, if the sauce is too thick, add a few tablespoons of stock or water. Taste for seasoning and adjust salt and pepper. Add the shanks back into the pot of sauce.
If desired, skim off any additional fat which rises to the surface.
Garnish with parsley and serve with mashed potatoes, rice or pasta.
Recipe Note
Alternatively, use the stove top. Cover the pot and let it simmer for 1 1/2 hours, or until the meat is falling apart. Adjust the heat so that the liquid simmers slowly. Slow cooker or pressure cooker will be handy too.
Read our tips on how long to cook your lamb chops
Leave your meat alone - how to rest the lamb cuts?