Braised Lamb Shanks

This Month’s Recipe:

This warm and comforting recipe is excellent served with mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables.

Ingredients

4 lamb shanks

1 coarsely chopped celery stalk

1 coarsely chopped medium carrot

3tbsp olive oil, divided

1 large coarsely chopped onion

4 cloves sliced garlic

1tbsp butter

1 cup dry red wine

2 cups chicken broth

¼ cup cider vinegar

1 cup beef broth

3tbsp tomato puree

1 bay leaf

4 sprigs fresh thyme

Salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 160°C and heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and the butter in a large Dutch oven or skillet. Add celery, carrot and chopped onion and cook until onion is softened.
  2. Add garlic and cook for a further two minutes before removing mixture to large baking pan or Dutch oven. Add remaining olive oil to pan and season lamb shanks with salt and pepper. Sauté shanks over medium heat for approximately eight minutes, searing on all sides.
  3. Add the lamb shanks to the vegetables in the Dutch oven and deglaze the pan with the red wine before simmering for two minutes.
  4. Add chicken broth, tomato purée, beef broth and vinegar. Bring to a boil before reducing heat and simmering for five minutes. Pour the sauce over the lamb shanks and add the herbs.
  5. Cover the Dutch oven and bake in the oven for 1 ½ hours. Remove the lid and continue cooking for another 2 to 2 ½ hours until the lamb is tender.

Serves 4