Lamb shanks braised in red wine

This classic winter braise is a staple in Clayton Wells’ home during the cooler months. Pair it with creamy, white polenta for a full meal, or gently shred the meat to make a rich lamb shank ragu sauce for pasta.

Credit: Jiwon Kim

• serves

  4

• prep

  25 minutes

• cook

  4 hours

• difficulty

  Mid

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The Make-Ahead Menu

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

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episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

PG

Ingredients

• 3 lamb shanks (around 1.2 kgs)
• 2 tsp table salt
• 50 g plain flour
• 100 g ghee
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
• 20 g finely chopped garlic
• 1 large bouquet garni (thyme, bay leaves, oregano, rosemary)
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp celery seeds
• ½ tsp ground white pepper
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 50 g tomato paste
• 800 ml dry red wine
• 800 g tinned whole Roma tomatoes
• 1-1.5 litres vegetable stock
• Sea salt flakes
• Cooked white polenta, to serve (see Note)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 170˚C. In a large bowl, sprinkle the lamb shanks generously with salt, then dust with flour, shaking off any excess.
   
2. Heat the ghee in a large, heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Add the lamb shanks to the pan and brown on all sides. Once browned, using tongs remove the lamb to a plate and set aside.
   
3. Return the pan to the heat, then sauté the onion, carrot and celery, until lightly browned. Add the garlic and spices to the pan and sauté for a further 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste to the pan and sauté for a further 2-3 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the wine. Add the bouquet garni and reduce the wine for 20 minutes, or until it has reduced to one-third.
   
4. Add the tomatoes to the pan and crush with the back of a wooden spoon. Stir through the vegetable stock and return the shanks to the pan, ensuring they are fully submerged. Bring to the boil, then cover. Carefully transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 4 hours, checking on the progress every hour or so.
   
5. Remove the lamb from the oven and carefully uncover the lid. Use tongs to remove any bones from the pan, ensuring you stir any bone marrow released from the shanks back into the sauce for richness. Add a splash of extra vegetable stock if the sauce is too thick and season to taste with salt and pepper.
   
6. Serve the lamb shanks braised in red wine with white polenta.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Stream free On Demand

The Make-Ahead Menu

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

PG

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

PG