A gastropub favourite, tender lamb shanks love being left to cook until succulent and intensely savoury. Even better if made in advance and chilled overnight – scrape off any surface fat before reheating until piping hot.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 x 400g lamb shanks
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 small fennel bulb, chopped
- 3 fresh bay leaves, torn
- 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
- 5 garlic cloves, 4 chopped, 1 whole
- 8 fresh thyme sprigs
- 700ml lamb, chicken or beef stock
- 150ml white wine
- Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Method
- 1. Preheat the oven to 140°C/fan120°C/gas 1. Heat the olive oil in a large, wide pan with a lid over a medium heat. Season the shanks and brown all over in the pan for 8-10 minutes. Remove to a plate. Add the onion and fennel to the pan and cook for 8 minutes, stirring, until turning golden. Add the bay leaves, rosemary, chopped garlic, half the thyme and return the shanks to the pan.
- 2. Pour in the stock and wine and heat until just bubbling. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and bake for 2½-3 hours, until the meat is achingly tender.
- 3. Meanwhile, crush the remaining garlic with a pinch of salt and finely chop the remaining thyme. Put in a bowl with the lemon zest, parsley and extra-virgin olive oil and mix together well. Season with black pepper only.
- 4. Transfer the shanks to a dish and cover loosely with foil. Skim off and discard the fat from the surface of the sauce, then bring to the boil and simmer for a few minutes. Mix 2 tablespoons sauce into the lemon, garlic and parsley mixture.
- 5. Divide the lamb shanks between plates, strain over the sauce and spoon over the gremolata. Serve with mashed potato.
Nutritional info
Per serving: 531kcals, 37g fat (10.4g saturated), 58g protein, 4.1g carbs, 2g sugar, 1.4g salt
Chef's tip
Replace the lamb shanks with generous chunks of lamb shoulder; they may require a slightly shorter cooking time but will be just as flavoursome.
To freeze: freeze at the end of step 2. Thaw, reheat on the hob thoroughly and complete the recipe.