Slow-cooked Melting Lamb Shanks
By Tate & Lyle Cane Sugars
Published on 04 October 2022
Succulent and meltingly tender, this dish of meaty lamb shanks has the most amazing deep and intense flavour, beautifully enhanced by the sweet and piquant red onions. Great with silky smooth mashed potatoes.Time and servings
4 hrs 20 minsTotal time
8Servings
20 minsPrep time
4 hrsCooking time
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp of olive oil
- 8 lamb shanks
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 1 heaped tbsp of dark brown soft sugar
- 4 tbsp of red wine vinegar
- 110 g of raisins
- 1 litre of chicken stock
- 200 ml of light ale
- 400 g of chopped tomatoes
- 2 tbsp of rosemary leaves, roughly chopped, plus a few sprigs to garnish
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 pinch of salt, to season
- 1 pinch of ground black pepper, to season
- 6 medium red onions, peeled, halved and sliced
Method
Step 1
Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a moderately high heat, add the lamb shanks and fry in batches for 8-10 minutes, turning so all sides are browned. Transfer to a large saucepan.Step 2
Add the onions and garlic to the residual fat in the pan and gently cook over a lowish heat for about 15 minutes or until softened, stirring often. Add the sugar, vinegar, raisins and some salt and pepper and simmer for 5 minutes, then add to the pan of meat.Step 3
Add the stock, ale, tomatoes, rosemary, bay leaves and a generous amount of seasoning to the meat, bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cover with a lid and gently cook for 3 hours, poking the lamb shanks down to ensure they are covered with all the liquid.Step 4
Using a slotted spoon, lift the lamb out onto a plate and keep warm under foil. Boil the liquid down to reduce to about 2 litres, making a slightly thickened sauce, for about 25-30 minutes, skimming off any fat and discarding the bay leaves.Step 5
Add the lamb back into the pan to reheat for about 5 minutes then arrange on a warm serving plate, spoon over the sauce, scatter with the rosemary to garnish and serve.