Braised lamb shanks
A key part of this recipe is to ensure the casserole pan is sufficiently full so that the lamb shanks don’t dry out. I use a casserole pan that is a couple of inches wider than the length of the lamb shank, and the contents usually fill the pan to a couple of inches from the top, with the liquid just about covering the lamb shanks.
Ingredients
- Lamb shank, 2
- Chicken stock, 500ml
- Red wine, 500ml
- Carrots, 2 medium, scrubbed and cut into into ½ inch cubes
- Celery, 3 ribs, diced
- Onion, 1, diced
- Garlic, 2 cloves, minced
- Tomato purée, 1 tbsp
- Fresh thyme, handful, tied up
- Bay leaf, 1
- Worcester sauce, 1 tbsp
- Baking paper
- Salt + pepper
Instructions
- Put a heavy-lidded casserole pan on a medium-high heat, add a touch of oil and brown the lamb shanks. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add the garlic, onion, carrots and celery and cook on a medium-high heat until the onion goes translucent.
- Add the tomato purée and cook for a further few minutes.
- Add the stock, red wine, Worcester sauce, thyme and bay leaves and stir well, then bring the pan to a slow simmer.
- Add the lamb shanks and season well with salt and pepper.
- Place a piece of baking paper on top of the pan, then place the lid on top of the baking paper to seal.
- Cook in the oven at 170℃ for 2 hours or until the lamb is almost fall-apart tender.
- Gently remove the lamb shanks from the pan, wrap in foil to keep warm and set aside.
- Take a fresh pan and pass the sauce through a sieve, using a large spoon to press all the sauce out. Discard the sieve contents.
- Using a fresh pan and sieve, strain the contents of the casserole pan. Use a large spoon to press all the sauce out. Discard the contents of the sieve.
- If you like, you can reduce the sauce to preference.