Few things say Sunday dinner like a Lamb Shank that falls off the bone with barely a touch of a fork. It's a forgiving, mostly hands-off recipe that rewards patience rather than skill — ideal for a lazy weekend.
Ingredients:
- 2-4 lamb shanks (one per person is generous)
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 250ml red wine
- 500ml lamb or beef stock
- 1 sprig rosemary, 2 bay leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Season the shanks well and brown on all sides in a hot casserole dish — get real colour, it's where the flavour builds.
- Remove the shanks, then soften the onion, garlic, and carrots in the same pot.
- Add the red wine and let it bubble down for a minute.
- Return the shanks, add stock until they're two-thirds covered, plus the rosemary and bay.
- Cover and cook at 150°C for 2.5-3 hours, turning once halfway, until the meat pulls away from the bone easily.
- Serve over buttery mash or creamy polenta, with the braising liquid reduced on the hob until it coats the back of a spoon.
Lamb shanks are a genuine make-ahead dish — cook a day ahead and gently reheat, and they'll taste even better. Shop JP Butcher's lamb shanks online or in-store.
