Slow Braised Lamb Shanks in Red Wine

As the colder weather sets in there is something comforting about a plate of decadent lams shank with creamy mash and a rich red wine sauce.

Ingredients

4 Lamb Shanks

Salt & pepper

Splash oil

1 medium onioned finely diced

1 medium carrot finely diced

2 stick celery finely diced

3 cloves of garlic minced

1 bottle of good red wine Cab Sauv

1 can crushed tomatoes

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon of butter

2 cups chicken or veal stock

Method

Preheat the oven to 350F/180C.

1. Defrost the Lamb Shanks Overnight in your refrigerator
2. Pat the lamb shanks dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Heat 2 tbsp of  oil in a heavy based pot over high heat. Sear the lamb shanks in 2 batches until brown all over, about 5 minutes.
4. Remove lamb onto a plate and drain excess fat (if any) from the pot.
5. Turn the heat down to medium low. Heat remaining 1 tbsp of  oil in the same pot, if needed. Add the onion and garlic and, cook for 2 minutes.
6. Add carrot and celery. Cook for 5 minutes until onion is translucent and sweet, add the tomato paste and cook for a further 2 minutes
7. Add the red wine, chicken stock, crushed tomato, thyme and bay leaves. Stir to combine.
8. Place the lamb shanks into the pot, squeezing them in to fit so they are mostly submerged.
9. Turn stove up, bring to a simmer. Cover, then transfer to the oven for 2  hours
10. Remove from oven, remove lid, then return to the oven for another 30 minutes (so 2 1/2 hours in total). Check to ensure lamb meat is ultra tender (use 2 forks) – if not, cover and keep cooking. Ideal is tender meat but still just holding onto bone.
11. Remove lamb onto plate and keep warm. Pick out and discard bay leaves and thyme.
12. Strain the sauce into a bowl, pressing to extract all sauce out of the veggies (Pour strained sauce back into pot. Bring to simmer over medium heat and reduce slightly to a syrupy consistency, add the butter to the sauce then taste then add salt and pepper to taste.
13. Serve the lamb shanks on mashed potato or cauliflower puree with plenty of sauce! Garnish with thyme leaves if desired.

5-6 Lamb Shanks