Another dreary day…. lamb shanks, anyone? I’ve preached at you long enough. Time to think about your dinner plans at the weekend. On your way home tonight stop by the grocery or the butcher and get a couple of lamb shanks. Two will run you USD$10-$13. This is an easy meal to do completely in a crock pot, but for the full effect, you’ll need a skillet, too.
Easy and Elegant Lamb Shanks for Two.
1 Tablespoon or a bit more of olive oil
2 lamb shanks
1 zip lock bag, gallon sized
1/4 cup of flour
fresh sprigs of rosemary
4 cloves of garlic
1 can of crushed tomatoes or about 5 hand-crushed plum tomatoes
1/2 an onion, chopped (that’s what I had on hand, anyway.)
1/2 cup of red wine
1/4 cup of beef stock
salt and pepper
parsley to garnish
Put the flour, salt and pepper in the zip-lock bag and add the lamb shanks. Zip up and shake to coat.
Heat the olive oil in a pan. Shake the excess flour from the shanks and add them to the pan, turning to brown on all sides.
Add a bit of olive oil to your crock pot, and add in all the ingredients EXCEPT the wine, onions and the parsley.
Remove the shanks to the pot.
Sauté the onions in the skillet for a couple of minutes, and deglaze the pan with the wine. Add the mixture to the crock pot. Set to low and go to work or sleep. It’ll be ready when you are. The meat should fall from the bone when urged to do so by your fork.
To thicken the sauce, you may have to reduce it in the skillet for a few moments before you serve the dish. Pour it over the shanks on the plate and garnish with parsley.
I served this with sweet potatoes mashed with butter and a dash of nutmeg, crusty bread and a salad. And the rest of the bottle of Malbec, of course.
Great recipe, and great site. Keep up the good work!
“rest of the bottle”?? i never have the rest of the bottle around my house! i admire your restraint!
Bravo! Those lamb shanks looked delectable, and if I may say it, were a vast improvement on the revolting Beef Wellington of an earlier post. So much more in keeping with an easy and elegant approach to life!
If the weather weren’t so wintry in my neck of the woods today, and if there wasn’t a chicken already waiting to be roasted, those Lamb Shanks would rule.
Well, there’s always the weekend….
Brett, welcome. I enjoyed surfing your site today; although I don’t agree with your answer for the unfortunate gentleman with the black suit, I applaud your decisiveness, and your mission statement! I have a friend whom you should meet as he shares your taste for adventure. And please see the Ordonez article in Men’s Vogue. I think you’ll like it, if you share my taste for bullfighting.
Ah Fairfax, the rest of the bottle is the one that is poured for the first glass. There is always another waiting in the wings…
Hello TW, sorry the Wellington wasn’t to your liking. I’m afraid that years of mediocre food have left me less discriminating than I should be. The shanks are superb, though! Give them a try and then improve upon the original!
totally shanked here
shanks for the recipe.
; } Should have called it shanks for the memories…
Do you take the photos of your dishes yourself? I have been trying to get some good pics of meals I prepare with my wife for a little blog I have, but the pictures never seem to do the meal justice.
This looks delicious by the way. I can’t wait to try it out!
Hello Nick,
Yes, for the most part, I’m the photographer. The photo above is mine. I do use some stock photos for raw ingredients. You might try istockphoto.com, the smallest size photos (which cost USD$1) are all you need.
What’s your blog? I can always use some inspiration for the evening meal around here.
Can not wait to try your recipe. May I return the favor. Take a 3 lb chuck that is well marbled, season, lay strips of bacon across the top, roast at 275 F for 4 or 5 hours, poke it with a fork and if there is little or no resistance, its done. Make a gravy and mashed potatoes, life is good. Love your blog. Ann
One more element to the chuck roast, I leave it on the counter overnight to reach room temperature, follow the rest of the directions above.
Yum and thanks! That sounds delicious and deceptively easy. Many thanks for the compliment.