Melt in your mouth. Tender and rich, full of inherent flavor. A simple gravy that lets the lamb shine, because the lamb is a STAR, make no mistake. Roasted root vegetables on the side, and a sweet potato mash. This dinner was, in one word, wow. Slow cooked lamb shanks sounds like the fanciest thing but they are actually ridiculously easy! This needs to get on your dinner party repertoire as of this moment. Just try it and once you do thank me in the comment section below!
One of my favorite types of meals to eat are those that include some form of meat with a side of roasted vegetables. It can be chicken, salmon, beef, but there’s something a little extra rich and fulfilling when it comes to lamb. I spotted some beautiful lamb shanks in my supermarket, and I’d never prepared those before so I browsed a few websites to look for some inspiration, then I spotted a familiar name and immediately knew what recipe I wanted to try out.
Mary Berry to the rescue!
Who would have thought the queen of British Baking, Mary Berry, would be the inspiration to a meal like this? You may have spotted her on one of my fave shows, the Great British Baking Show. She no longer judges, but still provides a wealth of information. This recipe just proves that Mary Berry is awesome and can do it all. Serve alongside your favorite assortment of side dishes for a truly special meal. The title says slow cooked lamb shanks, but if you don’t have a slow cooker don’t fret, you can cook the lamb in the oven. This is what the original recipe on Mary Berry’s site calls for. I’ll include the modifications in the recipe notes. For slow cooker queens, be sure to check out this family favorite beef chili recipe too- one of those dump in all the ingredients and forgot about it affairs.
Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks with Root Vegetables
Ingredients
For the lamb:
- 4 bone in lamb shanks
- 3 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 onions, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 tablespoon flour, heaped
- 1 cup non-alcoholic red wine OR cranberry juice 300 ml
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cups chicken stock 450 ml
- 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary leaves
- salt and pepper
For the vegetables:
- 4-5 carrots cut in half lengthwise
- 200 g turnips
- 200 g brussel sprouts
- salt and pepper
- 2-3 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
For the lamb:
- Heat 2 tbsps of oil in a large pan over high heat, and once hot, add the lamb shanks and brown the lamb shanks all over until a brown crust develops, about 5-6 minutes. Season lamb with salt and pepper.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and fry the onions and garlic until softened. In a separate bowl, whisk together the red wine or cranberry juice with the flour until well combined. Add in the tomato paste and whisk.
- Add the chicken stock to the onions and mix, then add the flour/wine mixture and while stirring continuously, bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and let sauce simmer for 5-10 minutes until slightly thickened.
- In slow cooker (or a pan that'll go in the oven) add the lamb shanks, the onion and sauce mixture and the rosemary. If using a slow cooker, cook on low heat for 6-8 hours or until meat easily comes off the bone when you test with a fork. If cooking in the oven, cook at 160 C (325 F) for around 2 hours or meat comes off the bone easily.
For the vegetables:
- Heat oven to 200 C (400F). Arrange vegetables in a roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper and any herbs of your choice. Roast 20 minutes, then toss with a spatula so they cook evenly and return to oven for another 20 minutes or so or until tender and cooked through.
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