The best thing about winter is the abundance of lamb that is available everywhere. At the local butcher, the fresh markets, the grocery stores. They are everywhere!
I often say, when I see sheep and lamb grazing on the country side that I get a little hungry. Sure they are cute, but boy are the mighty tasty *slurp*.
I have friends with dreams of owning a little farm eventually with animals to tend such as goats, pigs, sheep and chickens. I have been banned from ever visiting their farm based on the fact that I would want to eat all their ‘pets’ *sigh*
No trust these days, I tell ya. I wouldn’t eat their animals at all! How little they know of me. Well, I wouldn’t do it in front of them anyway. “Why, would you look at that? The fox has been in your chicken coop again!” 0_0
Knowing how much I love the taste of this wooly animal, The Boy decided to slow cook some lamb shanks for me one weekend. It was the perfect Sunday night meal. Warm, comforting, filling and oh so tasty. I love my man!
We hope you enjoy our delectable finger licking Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks 🙂
Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks Recipe
Ingredients
- 2-4 Lamb Shanks
- 180 g Speck (chopped into chunks)
- 1 large Onion (chopped into chunks)
- 2 Tomatoes (quartered)
- 4 cloves of Garlic (smashed with skin on)
- 2 Carrots (chopped into chunks)
- 2 Celery Sticks (chopped into chunks)
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 2 sprigs of Thyme
- 2 cups of Chicken or Beef Stock
- 2 Tbsp of Pearl Barley
- 1 Tbsp of Olive Oil
- Salt & Pepper
Instructions
- Season lamb shanks with some salt and pepper.
- Heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil in a large pan over high heat and brown the lamb shanks on all sides to get some caramelisation happening. You can cook in batches if they do not all fit in your pan.
- Take the lamb shanks out of the pan and lower the heat to medium. Place speck into the pan and cook for 5-7 minutes. Take speck out and set aside.
- In the same pan, add in the onions and garlic and cook until soften (a couple of minutes).
- Place onions, garlic, tomatoes, carrots and celery into a slow cooker. Place the lamb shanks over them.
- Add bay leaf, thyme, pearl barley, speck and stock into the slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or until lamb shanks are tender and falling off the bone.
- If you prefer a thicker gravy, sieve all ingredients (after cooking) and reduce the liquid by half.
Serve this up with warm polenta or potatoes (any which way) and you’re guaranteed a highly comforting meal.
So my friends, are you like me and get a little hungry visiting farms or do you have shock faces now that you know the kind of person I am?
My man has been at me for ages now to cook him up some shanks (like, since Winter started), this looks like it might just be the recipe to get me to do it! 🙂
There you go. It was a sign. I’m psychic 😛
Mmm lamb shanks.
I like the idea of owning chickens but I’m very much a city girl at heart with no plans to buy a house with a big enough yard for chickens, not to mention fencing to keep the foxes away!
I like the idea of owning a farm.. but I also like to eat them.. so maybe not sustainable if I keep eating my produce 😛
That looks so good, I miss having a slow cooker. You are so lucky, my man rarely cooks for me!
As we speak, my man is cooking dinner in the kitchen.. I am indeed a lucky lady!
yummmmooo! I’ve only cooked lamb shanks once.. should probably do it again whilst it is the season!
You must! Then invite us over!
Who cares if you can’t go to their piddly little farms? Aren’t you and I still planning to live in a castle and sing Disney all day, eventually? You can eat as much lamb as you like there.
WUHOO! I WUV YOU MS ANGLE BABE!
What a gorgeous looking picture of your lamb shank dish… I have photographed this dish before and it is not easy to get it looking pretty, you have done a great job!
…now I wish I could eat it 😉
Aww thanks.. it’s just soooo brown.. ahahah so hard to focus!
Ultimate winter comfort food for sure! Lambies are so cute and sweet… And delicious!!! 🙂
Delicious! Baaaaaaa
YUMMY!!!! Although I must say your Coq Au Vin made a pretty awesome winter dish too the other day hehe…
It was The Boy’s coq au vin.. *snigger*… I’m still 5 years old apparently
Mmm, love a good lamb shank, especially when the meat is falling off the bone!
Oh especially! YUMMO!
hah — I’ll let you gather the eggs from the chicken coop….just stay away from my lambs! (although they are tasty cooked…)
i have leftover polenta in the fridge…and the weather has turned chill all of a sudden..this is sounding mighty good
Hahah I don’t want eggs. I want lamb!
this looks just incredible. the perfect winter warmer whilst being a couch potato. love it.
Indeed.. no work or effort (not much at least) required
Love lamb shanks in Winter- plus I just got a slow cooker this winter which makes them even easier to make!
There you go! I’ve solved your winter drama 😛
I was a bit of a late-comer to lamb shanks but I’m definitely making up for it now and will be giving this recipe a run next week for sure.
Oh yeah! Lamb shanks all the way!