Lamb shanks are delicious, they originate from the lower rear legs. The same joint in pork is the ‘hock’ and in beef, the ‘leg’. The equivalent joint on the front legs are ‘fore shank’ for lamb, ‘knuckle’ for pork and ‘shin’ for beef.
There is a lof of connective tissue within the shank which when cooked slowly melts throughout, therefore avoiding being tough and chewy. This adds to the tenderness of the meat allowing it to simply fall off the bone. Ordinarily these tougher cuts of meat do most of the work for the animal. The key component of connective tissue is collagen which forms a rich liquid (gelatin) when broken down. To do this in the most effective manner we cook low and slow.
Minted Lamb Shanks
Ingredients
Instructions
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Preset your oven to 160°C.
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Heat a Dutch oven (or similar) to a moderately high heat on the hob and add 1 tbsp of olive oil.
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Season the lamb with salt and pepper and brown on all sides, turning frequently. Don't forget to brown the thick end of the shank also. Set the lamb aside whilst you progress to the next stage.Brown the shanks in batches if the pot is crowded. Good contact with the hot surface develops colour; overcrowding lowers the temperature and encourages steaming.
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Lower the heat and add the second tbsp of olive oil to the pot, followed by the onions and garlic, stirring for about 12 to 15 minutes until fragrant, whilst adding the cup of wine (or a cup of stock) after 5 minutes. The onions and garlic will become a thick and rugged sauce.Scrape the browned residue from the base as the wine or stock goes in; dissolving this fond returns the flavour from searing to the braising liquid.
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Add the beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, the apricot jam, ale chutney and half the chopped mint and bring to a gentle simmer then remove from the heat.
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Add the lamb back to the pot and place the lid on, and transfer the pot to the preheated oven.
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Leave covered in the oven for 3.5 to 4hrs or until the meat is incredibly tender and easily pulled from the bone.Use tenderness rather than the clock as the endpoint. The thickest shank should yield readily to a fork and the meat should pull away from the bone without resistance.
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Finely chop the remaining mint leaves and add 1 tbsp olive oil in a pestle and mortar, pounding for 2 to 3 minutes to make the mint oil.
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Finally, remove the lamb and blend the sauce with a stick blender until it thickens and becomes silky, add the lamb back to the pot, replace the lid and wait 5 minutes before serving.Take the pot off direct heat before using the stick blender and keep the blender head submerged while running to reduce splashing from the hot sauce.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 4
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 701.61kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 41.06g64%
- Saturated Fat 13.95g70%
- Sodium 1179.36mg50%
- Total Carbohydrate 17.74g6%
- Dietary Fiber 2.02g9%
- Sugars 9.88g
- Protein 53.87g108%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
