Slow cooker lamb shanks with red wine and balsamic
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 4 medium lamb shanks
  • ½ cup plain flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 2 carrots
  • 1 brown onion
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 1 strip lemon rind, pith removed
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 100g cherry tomatoes
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 1 cup beef stock
  • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp golden syrup or molasses
For the cous cous
  • 1½ cup cous cous
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley
  • 1 tbsp fresh mint
  • 1 tbsp finely grated lemon rind
Instructions
  1. Place the flour, salt and pepper on a large plate and stir to combine. Dust the meat of the lamb shanks all over with the flour.
  2. Peel and slice the carrot and onion.
  3. Heat the oil in a large fry pan over a medium-high heat and brown the shanks on all sides until a deep golden colour. Lay the shanks into the bowl of a slow cooker.
  4. Pour off any excess oil that has accumulated in the fry pan, leaving about a tablespoon. Add the carrot and onion to the pan and cook for 5-7 minutes until softened and starting to brown.
  5. Peel and slice the garlic and add this to the pan and cook for another minute.
  6. Add the carrot, onion and garlic to the slow cooker over the shanks.
  7. Put the rosemary, lemon rind, bay leaf and cherry tomatoes into the slow cooker.
  8. Combine the red wine, beef stock, balsamic vinegar and golden syrup in a jug then pour into the slow cooker.
  9. Put on the lid and cook on low for 7-8 hours, or high for 4-5 hours.
  10. Half an hour before serving, turn off the slow cooker. Carefully remove the lamb shanks and place them on a plate, covering with foil to keep warm.The shanks will be very soft so its best to use a pair of tongs and a slotted spoon to carefully lift the shanks out of the sauce by gripping on the side and bottom of the meat. If you pull by the bone, the meat will likely all fall off the bone (which will still taste delicious, you just won't be able to serve it on the bone).
  11. Carefully transfer the sauce to a large saucepan and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes to reduce slightly.
While the sauce is reducing, cook the cous cous.
  1. Heat the chicken stock and butter in a medium saucepan until boiling.
  2. Remove from the heat and stir in the cous cous. Place a lid tightly over the saucepan and leave to sit for 5 minutes.
  3. Fluff gently with a fork to break up the cous cous grains.
  4. Just before serving, finely chop the herbs and lemon rind and stir through the cous cous.
To serve
  1. Pile the cous cous onto serving plates, top each carefully with a lamb shank and spoon over the sauce. Garnish with extra lemon rind and herbs if you like.
Recipe by The Fare Sage at https://www.thefaresage.com/slow-cooker-lamb-shanks-red-wine/