US
lamb
1
guinness lamb shank
© David Loftus

guinness lamb shank

servings
6
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method


People absolutely love lamb shanks. You cook them until they’re just falling apart and they develop the most amazing flavours. This recipe is all about investing in dark sticky sauce and tender meat. We’re spoiled for choice when it comes to interesting ales, and adding a good dark ale or even Guinness to the onions creates the most brilliant depth of flavour. The sauce here makes enough for ten lamb shanks, so if you want to make this recipe serve more people, just plop a few more shanks into the pan and top up with a little more stock if need be. Whatever you do, do NOT skip the mint oil or spring onions. It’s like switching on a light, and just that simple little touch makes the whole dish sing.

Finely chop the onions and put them into a really large casserole-type pan (roughly 26cm in diameter and 12cm deep), with a lug of olive oil and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Cook over a medium to high heat, stirring as you go, until the onions start to caramelize. Add the raisins and marmalade, then add the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and booze. Give it all a good stir, then leave to gently simmer.

Put the lamb shanks into a large frying pan (roughly 30cm wide) on a medium to high heat with a drizzle of olive oil – you can cook them in batches if needed. Turn them every few minutes; once they have some good colour, pick in the rosemary leaves and move them around in the pan to get crispy, but don’t let them burn. Use tongs to move the shanks into the pan of onions, then pour in all their juices and the crispy rosemary. Add the stock, put the lid on, turn down the heat and leave to blip away slowly for around 3 hours, or until the meat falls off the bone easily. Try to turn the shanks halfway through so they cook evenly.

When the lamb shanks are ready, carefully move them to a platter, making sure the meat stays intact. Whiz or liquidize the gravy with a stick blender until smooth, then allow to reduce down and thicken. Quickly bash most of the mint leaves in a pestle and mortar with a good pinch of salt and the olive or rapeseed oil, then take to the table. Finely slice up the spring onions and toss on a plate with the remaining fresh mint leaves, a drizzle of cider vinegar and a pinch of salt.

Add a little splash of cider vinegar and a few more splashes of Worcestershire sauce to the sauce, then ladle it all over the lamb shank and pour the rest into a jug for people to help themselves. Scatter the vinegary spring onions and a few fresh mint leaves all over the top, drizzle the mint oil all around the shanks, and serve with lovely potato and celeriac mash. The plate will be clean before you know it.

Recipe from:

jamie's great britain

ingredients


• 3 red onions, peeled
• olive oil
• sea salt and ground pepper
• 2 handfuls of raisins
• 3 heaped tablespoons
thick-cut marmalade
• 1 heaped tablespoon
tomato ketchup
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire
sauce, plus extra for serving
• 200ml Guinness
or smooth dark ale
• 6 lamb shanks,
roughly 350g each
• 8 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 1 liter organic chicken stock
To serve
• a small bunch of fresh
mint leaves
• a few tablespoons
rapeseed or olive oil
• 2 spring onions, trimmed
• cider vinegar

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tried this recipe or a similar one? share your tips...
1. by adam butters on Fri 16 Mar 2012 @ 18:03

brilliant but please get rid of these m&s adverts they make the screen stutter while scrolling up and down V.annoying<br />

2. by Doris Botterweck on Sun 26 Feb 2012 @ 13:21

This will be one of my favorites. Did it with rack of lamb instead. Superb! The sauce was thick and dark. I used Blackberry jam and less chickenstock and a spoonful of Ketcap manis. Otherwise stayed with the recipe. Thanks for a great recipe Jamie!<br />

3. by Cara on Fri 03 Feb 2012 @ 16:09

When you call for marmalade; which flavor do you recommend??

4. by Ellie I on Sat 28 Jan 2012 @ 09:32

Hi, done this today and it was divine ! Only trouble was my sauce wasn't thick and sticky it was more like gravy even though i followed the recipe to the tee. Any suggestions on where i went wrong ?

5. by karen on Thu 26 Jan 2012 @ 19:14

Can you freeze the gravy? mine wasnt thick like the picture but still tasted divine

6. by Moleseymc on Tue 27 Dec 2011 @ 09:46

Tried this for a dinner party, only cooking for 4 so scaled down the recipe. It was fantastically delicious. A real winner which I will do again and again. I served it with pea and mint mash (H F W recipe) which was a lovely combination. A lamb shank is a lot of meat so in fact the two women shared on between them and we had one left over which we then shared the night after. It was still delicious. The gravy this produces is soooooooooo gooooooooood!

7. by Dave Footy on Tue 13 Dec 2011 @ 19:05

Seeing Jamie cook this in the Cock In Cider inspired me to cook this at home. I am 46 years old, and have NEVER cooked anything more than sausages before.<br /> I spent an hour on the main prep, and another 2 x 30 mins, and the results were FANTASTIC! <br /> I was the hero of the night, and all thanks to you Jamie!<br /> Inspirational and simple to do, even I can do it!!<br />

8. by kim on Mon 12 Dec 2011 @ 12:09

I made this yesterday - it was sensational especially the sauce. Had about half a pint of the sauce left over and my husband gave it to the dogs!!! It would have been divine with sausages later this week! Make it and impress your guests - it looks fantastic on a huge platter

9. by Chris on Mon 12 Dec 2011 @ 05:53

Sounds like a winner, have been looking for a good Guinness and shank recipe, the addition of the mint oil should be fantastic.<br /> <br /> Rapeseed oil? Not a fan to be honest!

10. by Phil Ditchfield on Mon 05 Dec 2011 @ 16:33

Done it again Jamie! Absolutley fantastic dish meat fell off the bone and the sauce is thick and tasty !

11. by Norze on Tue 29 Nov 2011 @ 22:23

if you cook this in the oven, what temp do you put it on - fan oven?????<br />

12. by Joe on Mon 21 Nov 2011 @ 12:14

This is an unbelievably tasty dish.... its slightly aromatic, and the rich, sticky sauce is just divine. It is right up there with my absolute favorite dishes. Have to hand it to Jamie on this one... it really is a winner. Give it a go and you will not be disappointed.

13. by Robbie...D on Sun 20 Nov 2011 @ 07:46

I urge everyone to do this recipe.<br /> Jamie i must say,credit where credit is due mate....this is one of the best dishes i have ever had.My taste buds went spastic. Absolutely fantastic.<br /> Even though i couldn't find celeriac over here in Melbourne,it was just served with normal mash.The meat and sauce was brilliant.<br /> Will do this many more times.<br /> Thanks heaps<br /> Robbie...D

14. by yvonne on Tue 15 Nov 2011 @ 13:14

This is amazing.. it tastes as good as it looks. Its time consuming cos i didnt have a pot big enough for all shanks so i have to split into two pans. But trust me, its worth it. thanks Jamie

15. by Rob Hall on Sun 06 Nov 2011 @ 22:10

Did this today - only had neck end of lamb and no Guinness or celeriac in the house. It was phenomenal. Neck end is one of the most underrated cuts. Did the sauce on the hob and then cooked the lamb for 7 hours in the slow cooker. The meat just fell off. Did it with a pumpkin and potato mash which was light and delicate. The mint/vinegar (only had white wine vinegar) and spring onion really lifted it. Saved the rest of the sauce to have with bangers and mash tomorrow! Nice one.

16. by mark on Sun 06 Nov 2011 @ 16:56

Great taste but my sauce wasn't thick?<br />

17. by Ian on Sat 05 Nov 2011 @ 22:03

Whats wrong with ketchup? try tomato puree? you wont even taste it by the time its reduced down that much!! 1Tbsp in all that juice is tiny.

18. by abi&jon on Sat 05 Nov 2011 @ 20:33

Quote from Jon Owen 05.11.2011 'its gorgeous..the meat is falling off the bone, I cant even pick it up with my fork!'<br /> I think this was a lovely dish, being an ex vegetarian i thought it was gorgeous but I don't think i was quiet ready for the amount of meat that I had in front of me. Worth the three hour (plus) wait though.<br /> A great winter warmer.

19. by trish crimmins on Tue 01 Nov 2011 @ 18:18

do i have to use ketchup the thought of using it turns me of the dish i hate the stuff<br /> <br /> <br />

20. by Barbara Cleary on Tue 01 Nov 2011 @ 00:13

Looks absolutely gorgeous....must try and get some lamb shanks.

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