Getting a lamb shank next week!

A friend at work ordered some and asked me if I wanted one. We share recipes and stuff quite a bit. It's all organic and sustainably raised. DH was just saying a couple of weeks ago that he wanted lamb for his birthday dinner next month, so I'll have to freeze it until then, I guess.

I've never cooked lamb before so hit me with your favorite prep!

:woohoo:

When you say a shank, do you mean this short cut of the lamb?

She wasn't working today but called me to offer it to me. I would assume that would be the one but I'm pretty ignorant about lamb.

I suggest a braise. But the way I make them, the recipe would be a little of this and that and cooked with root veggies. So I just looked around and found this recipe that feels familiar and is probably a no-fail with its precise ingredients.
http://whatscookingamerica.net/LambOssoBucoForTwo.htm

Shanks are a slow-cook deal with results worth waiting for. They can be so tender to deserve being called luscious. I hope others reply as there are other lamb lovers among us.

Btw, I do love lamb and have a leg in the freezer. I make deep pockets and shove in garlic and a short sprig of fresh rosemary in each little pocket. Sprinkle black pepper and a light coat of summer savory all over. Then into the oven. Oh man!

But then I might go ahead and prepare it according to the shawarma recipe alfredo posted earlier. That sounds wonderful. Unless this wouldn't be a good cut for this. Like I said, I've never prepared it myself, so that's why I'm asking. The price has always made lamb out of reach in my grocery budget.

Your prep sounds wonderful, too. I may just go ahead and get a leg or another shank or two for his birthday. Since I'm really so stupid about it, I just don't want to ruin it. Thanx for your help, eleny.

Shanks wouldn't be my choice for that dish. Hopefully someone else will post who knows about lamb shwarama. I've never even had it. But a dear friend in Chicago says it's fabulous. They have it often.

while you were posting. I really do appreciate your help and advice with this.

Even if it's just talking about it. I know others will chime in. Good luck!

today, I think she means to give me two of them. I'll let you know when she comes back to work next week.

There are many bits of lamb that make fine shawirma but the shank is so perfect for Osso Buco --and Osso Buco is so perfect to eat, the gods themselves drool over it-- that to use it for any other purpose is a SACRILEGE!

DEFINITELY Osso Buco. Yes, it takes all day or thereabouts. It's worth it. I wouldn't want to do it every day or even every week, but at least three or four times a year I NEEEEEEEEEEED that rich, melting, mouth-caressing, mind-blowing sensation. Mmmmmmmm....

Yes. Osso Buco. Your mouth will love you. Your tummy will love you. Your husband will love you.

There are any number of good recipes but the key to all of them is *time.* It is a slow, slow, slow cook. Patience. Start plenty early. Here is a trick my granmere taught me: Do the browning the *day before.* Then put it, still in the dutch oven, in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, prep all the other ingredients, pre-heat your oven, THEN bring it out of the refrigerator and assemble. It must start COLD, in order to extract the maximum flavor from the bone marrow, etc., and heat *slowly,* and never heat too high.

Dang. I might stop off at the shepherds' tomorrow at the Farmer's Market and see if they have a coupla shanks. Now I'm jonesin'...

hungrily,
Bright

You crack me up, Bright! :rofl:

Thanx for the input, too.

Heavily season the lamb shanks with salt & pepper

Brown them in olive oil over medium high heat (use a large dutch oven).

Remove the shanks. Drain the fat from the pan, leaving in about 2-3 tbls

Add in 2 parts diced onion, 1 part diced carrots, 1 part diced celery (1-2 cups total)

Saute until soft and slightly brown (you can carmelize this as much as you want)

pour in 2 cups of wine -- red or white (or bubbly) -- and deglaze the pan. (Zin or chianti works very well)

Cook the wine until it reduces by half

Add 2 tbls tomato paste and 3-4 C meat stock (chicken, lamb or veal) Swanson's low sodium chicken broth works just fine if you don't have your own

replace lamb shanks in pan, throw in a 2-4 cloves of garlic, some juniper berries and a bay leaf. You can add your own flavors here like mint, lemon zest, rosemary, ras al hanout, etc

Cover and bake @ 300 for 2 - 2 1/2 hours.

Remove cover, raise temp to 350 and bake for 30 minutes. Continue baking until meat easily separates from the bone with a fork.

Serve with rice, pasta, risotto, couscous or polenta.

YUM!!!

I guess I need to go buy a dutch oven. Been wanting one anyway. Oddly enough, we don't drink at all but we do have two small bottles of champagne someone who doesn't know us well gave my husband at New Years. Ras al hanout sounds magnificent!

I always do that :D Le Creuset works great for braising, but really any heavy-bottomed stewpot will do just fine.

One hint: avoid buying something labeled "Dutch oven". They're usually not worth it.

my stainless pot. The lid is glass and the handles are heat resistant to 450 but I really think I should get the dutch oven anyway. Not sure the stainless would be the right piece of equipment since I've never done any braising. It always looks phenomenal but I never wanted to take the time to make something like this. Just the next step on the journey, I guess. I like to add a new challenge every once in awhile.

Le Creuset 7-1/4-Quart Round French Oven

It's great, but the street price is around $190. I got mine for $80 at a clearance sale of less-than-successful colors. It's not as pretty as the cherry red, but it works just as well.

Both Lodge and Tramontina make very good enameled dutch ovens for around $50.

BTW, I take back what I said about avoiding pots named "dutch ovens". I guess the marketers have decided that name's a lot sexier than "cast-iron stew pot". :shrug:

skipping the Le Creuset, I think. Will check to see what Target has.

The wine+tomato braising liquid is too acidic for pure cast-iron.

Also, do a google for "Le Creuset Outlet" or "All-clad outlet" in your area. You could luck out and find a high-end pot for about the same price.

Thanx for all your time and advice on this. I really do appreciate it.

I think I have searched for outlets in the area but came up with nothing. There used to be an outlet mall just between here and OKC but it was taken out by a tornado several years ago.

I think I may have to go buy some lamb shanks today. :9

it may be next weekend. I found this six quart Lodge model on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Enamel-Cast-Quart-Dutch/dp/B000N4WMZ4/ref=pd_rhf_p_t_1

Good luck! If you've never had homemade lamb shanks before, you're in for a real treat.

I've started! It's now in the oven and thought I would share pictures of the process:

Lovely seasoned lamb shanks:


Gathering ingredients: The seasoned shanks, flour for dredging, 1 carrot, 1 celery stalk, and a small onion, all chopped small. I only had 2 cups of beef broth so I supplemented with a cup and a half of vegetable broth:


More ingredients: The browned shanks, 1 tbs. of Amore garlic paste, 2 tbs. of Amore tomato paste, bay leaves, rosemary (I didn't have any fresh), 2 cups red wine, and a tbs. fresh lemon zest (not pictured.)


Ready to go in the oven: Did I maybe use to much broth? How am I doing so far?


Will update with a final pic in a couple of hours or so! :bounce:

The husband made some really good whole wheat sunflower seed bread and I made a quinoa parmesan risotto. Everything was really good.

this morning (after he had his coffee) and osso buco it is! Using Bright's tips and overwhelming enthusiasm, and jpgraz recipe, especially the idea to use the ras al hanout. I'll go ahead and use the shanks we're getting this week and then buy more for his birthday a month from now. I just applied to our local co-op this week so will be able to purchase by then from a local producer. I'm getting really excited about trying this.

It's good for the New York Times "no-knead" bread that many here have made. No doubt, you've seen some threads about that.

The NYT bread recipe has been intriguing me, altho I really don't mind kneading bread.

It's not really a weekend if there isn't something bubbling away in that pot.

I've got all the fixins, now I just need to find the time and enough people to eat them!

BTW, I'm adding prunes, preserved lemon, saffron and harissa to mine. :9 :9 :9

Enjoy them, friend. I'm sure you can round up a few folk who would make the sacrifice. ;)

Moroccan Lamb Shanks with Prunes and Preserved Lemons




I'm eating it right now and it is SOOO fucking good. :9 :9 :9

That looks just beautiful! Wish I could slip a spoon in and taste it!