Lamb Shanks Braised Red Wine (Printer-Friendly)

Melt-in-the-mouth lamb shanks braised slowly with red wine and herbs for rich, hearty flavours.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Meat

01 - 4 lamb shanks

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 onion, peeled and halved
03 - 8 garlic cloves, peeled

→ Liquids

04 - 2 cups red wine (500 ml)
05 - 2 cups lamb or beef stock (500 ml)
06 - 1/4 cup tomato purée (120 ml)
07 - 1/4 cup vegetable oil (60 ml)

→ Seasonings

08 - 2 bay leaves
09 - A few sprigs of fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
10 - 1/4 cup brown sugar, optional (60 ml)
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
12 - 1/4 cup cornflour (60 ml)

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat vegetable oil over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed ovenproof pan.
02 - Add lamb shanks to pan and brown evenly on all sides until golden, ensuring proper spacing to achieve thorough browning.
03 - Add halved onion and garlic cloves to the pan, cooking until fragrant and lightly softened, about 3 minutes.
04 - Pour in red wine, stock, and tomato purée. Stir in brown sugar, bay leaves, and thyme. Increase heat to bring mixture to a simmer.
05 - Cover pan with lid and transfer to oven. After 1 hour, reduce oven temperature to 300°F and continue braising for an additional 2 to 3 hours until meat is tender and falling off the bone.
06 - Carefully remove lamb shanks and keep warm. Discard bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Transfer sauce to blender and puree until smooth.
07 - Return sauce to pan, season with salt and pepper. Mix cornflour with cold water to form a slurry, gradually whisk into sauce and heat gently until thickened.
08 - Serve lamb shanks alongside the thickened red wine sauce.

# Helpful Hints:

01 - For optimal browning, avoid overcrowding the pan to ensure proper evaporation and Maillard reaction.
02 - Substitute onions with peeled shallots for a milder flavor; remove before sauce blending.
03 - Braising combines initial high-heat searing with slow oven cooking for tender, flavorful meat.
04 - Use a Dutch oven or heavy cast-iron vessel for superior heat retention and cooking results.
05 - Leftovers can be stored refrigerated for 3-4 days and often taste better on the second day.

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