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Friday, June 20, 2014

Lamb Shanks

Lamb shanks cooked until tender with mushrooms and onions in a red wine sauce.  A simple entree that will impress.


Lamb Shanks:  Lamb shanks cooked until tender with mushrooms and onions in a red wine sauce.  A simple entree that will impress.



My husband loves lamb.  I had never had lamb until I met him and I just recently tried cooking it for the first time.  Lamb can be kind of expensive so I only pick it up when I have a coupon or it's on sale (or both).  So I had these lamb shanks that I wasn't sure what to do with.  I knew that they required a lot of cooking time but I didn't want anything too difficult.  Of course I went to the internet to figure out how it should be done (how did people cook before the internet ;)).  There I found many recipes and learned the basic method for cooking a good lamb shank, braising.  This is a combination recipe of what I liked about some of the recipes minus what I didn't like.  Even though it cooks for a long time I thought it was pretty simple.  No complicated ingredients or procedures and only a little work then you just let it cook.  My husband was happy and I wasn't tired.  He even said it felt like a special occasion because he usually only gets delicious lamb shanks at restaurants.  So if you have the time try this recipe lamb lovers will love it.

Lamb Shanks:  Lamb shanks cooked until tender with mushrooms and onions in a red wine sauce.  A simple entree that will impress.

I also wonder if this is something you could do in a slow cooker.  I was only cooking for 2 and we have a gigantic slow cooker so it would have been over kill to drag it out...but maybe if cooking for a crowd.  Although, I think braised lamb shanks are a perfect romantic dinner for two.

Lamb Shanks:  Lamb shanks cooked until tender with mushrooms and onions in a red wine sauce.  A simple entree that will impress.

Lamb Shanks


Ingredients:

2 lamb shanks
1-2 Tbsp oil
1 onion, sliced
10-20 mushrooms, halved or quartered
2 tomatoes, diced
1 cup red wine
1 14.5 oz can chicken broth
thyme
rosemary
1 bay leaf
a few cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
salt and pepper to taste

Lamb Shanks:  Lamb shanks cooked until tender with mushrooms and onions in a red wine sauce.  A simple entree that will impress.

Season the shanks all over with salt and pepper.  Then brown them on all sides over medium high heat with a little oil. (I used a cast iron skillet but any skillet would be fine).

Remove the shanks from the pan and set aside.  Drain the oil.

Add a little fresh oil back to the pan then saute the mushrooms and onions until slightly softened (salt and pepper to taste).  Add the tomatoes and cook until soft.

Add the red wine and allow it to reduce by half then add the herbs and garlic.  Put the shanks back in the pan and pour in enough chicken broth to cover them by half.  Bring to a boil then cover and lower temperature to a bare simmer.  Allow to gently simmer for 3 hours adding more broth if it gets too low.

Alternately you can move the skillet into a 325 F oven and cook for 3 hours.

Taste for seasoning then serve shanks with the mushrooms and onions and your choice of vegetable.

Makes 2 servings.  Enjoy.

Lamb Shanks:  Lamb shanks cooked until tender with mushrooms and onions in a red wine sauce.  A simple entree that will impress.



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11 comments:

  1. Thanks Michelle. I've never tried leg of lamb. I would like to make lamb more but it expensive. I think just about anything would be good in wine sauce :)

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  2. Thanks for coming by the Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop. Love your post and appreciate you taking the time to share.

    Blessings,

    Shari

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  3. I wish I could eat lamb because it always looks so good, but I don't care for the flavor. I know lots of people that LOVE it though. Thanks for sharing your recipe.

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  4. Yeah, lamb can be a little more gamey than other meats but I bet this recipe would taste great with a turkey drumstick too. Thanks for the party Erlene.

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  5. Your making me hungry! Yum. Pinned. Thanks again for being a part of our party. I hope to see you tonight. Lou Lou Girls

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  6. I would just love your Lamb Shanks, we would really enjoy your recipe. Hope you are having a great week and thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
    Come Back Soon!
    Miz Helen

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  7. Thanks for the party Miz Helen.

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