Question re cooking lamb shanks

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melford, Jun 28, 9:30am
I tried cooking them in the crockpot but they werem't very successful as I ended up with a lot of fat in the bottom of the dish. Is it best to fry them first or do you cut off all the fat first. Has anybody got a nice crockpot recipe with wine in it please

uli, Jun 28, 9:37am
I just fry them then transfer to crock pot and cook them with red wine, bay leaves, juniper berries, chilli or pepper and thyme and rosemary - and I love it if there is some fat to go with the gravy :)

cookessentials, Jun 28, 7:18pm
I did them the other night and did not brown them first, they just went in with a can of chopped toms, 500ml beef stock, 250ml red wine, fresh bay leaves, fresh thyme springs, 1 clove garlic, whole mushrooms etc-we had very little fat in ours. I thickened the gravy towards the end of cooking and added a can of butter beans and a can of cannelleni (sp) beans.

harrislucinda, Jun 28, 9:52pm
Ijustputminestraightin topotwith othereingredandnofatmay betrimfatoffiftoomuch

melford, Jun 28, 11:14pm
many thanks everyone. I will have another go. Just one other question, how long in the crockpot and what kind of red wine as I need to buy some as we don't drink wine)

cookessentials, Jun 28, 11:29pm
I used a pinot noir that we were given as I am not a red wine drinker.
I casseroled for about 3. 5 hours, but would probably do it for just a bit longer - it was tender, but i would want it even more so.

melford, Jun 28, 11:33pm
thank you so much - off to the butchers now

katalin2, Jun 28, 11:34pm
I cut off all visible fat with sharp knife- then straight into crock pot with whatever. I cook it on slow all day or overnight. Thicken with a little arrowroot. It is so tender falls off bone. Often a large one will do 2 people.

illusion_, Jun 29, 3:54am
Easy way - FORGET the crockpot.
Lay out large sheet of tinfoil. Lay on top a sheet of baking paper. Lay shanks on top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle with mint sauce. Wrap baking paper, then tinfoil into parcels (one inside the other). Place in a 160 degree oven for 3 to 4 hours. Remove, open parcel, serve. Meat will be tender, gelatinous and falling off the bone. AND NO MESS ;)

timturtle, Jun 29, 6:20am
I did some the other day, always brown in a hot oven, not much fat came out. Then put into crockpot, cooked and left to go cold, I couldn't belive the amount of fat that had come to the top. So for me it will always be brown, cook, cool, then take off the fat. Reheat

melford, Jun 29, 8:37am
weeeeeellll, they were disgusting. The meat was tender but the gravy was revolting. I browned then first then added garlic, tin of tomatoes, beef stock (which was 2 tsp Maggi Beef Stock) mushrooms, 2 tbsp tomato paste a bayleaf and thyme. Don't know whether I used the wrong wine or not. I used a Red Merlot. It had a very bitter funny taste so would never make them again

cookessentials, Jun 29, 8:40am
MMM the stock powder would be a no no- use a liquid stock such as Campbells. A pinot noir would have been better.

rumbledoll, Jun 29, 8:45am
Or buy a watties cook in the pot mix - only about $2. 50 - I used this last week... just put the tin of tomatoes in with the mix - threw in the shanks without browning. . and some vege on high for 8 hours while at work - yummy when I got home...

cookessentials, Jun 29, 8:47am
100g dried white beans such as cannellini or butter beans 4 trimmed lamb shanks about 400g each 80g pancetta, chopped 400g tin chopped toms 500ml beef stock ( I use Campbells) 250ml red wine 2 tbsp tomato paste (sundried if you can get it) 1 fresh or dried bay leaf 2 sprigs fresh thyme handful of flat leafed parsley, chopped sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place white beans in a bowl and cover with water. Soak for 6 hours or overnight. Drain well and set aside. Preheat oven to 170C. Place lamb shanks in casserole, add pancetta, tomatoes, stock, red wine, tomato paste, bay leaf and half of the parsley. Season well with salt and pepper, stir to combine and cover tightly. Cook in pre-heated oven for 2 hours. Remove casserole from oven, turn the shanks over and add the beans. Re-cover and return casserole to the oven and cook a further hour until mixture is thick and lamb is very tender.

This is the one I did but with a different twist- I did not bother with the dry beans, I used a can of butter and a can of canelinni beans, I added more pancetta( about double) I put in whole button mushrooms and used about 4-5 fresh bay leaves. I used pinot noir and more than 250 ml. I thickened the gravy later on with flour into a bowl, some of the liquid added and whisked to avoid lumps and then poured in. It had a delicious thick tasty gravy. I also cooked longer.

timturtle, Jun 29, 9:17am
I used a Mccormacks Garlic and herb crockpot pack mix, as above added button mushrooms and only 1 can of tom's not the 2 as listed on packet. 8 hours in crock, and they were very nice and will be making again 4 sure

fluffyb, Jun 29, 10:00am
GLAZED LAMB SHANKS with red onions & mustard

(Absolutely scrumptiously delicious! )

Preheat oven to 180C . Brush 4 lamb shanks with olive oil, bake 30 mins until brown.

On stovetop saute 2 sliced red onions, 3 rashers bacon & crushed garlic until soft & golden. Add 250g button mushrooms (halved), cook 1 min.

Add 1 tbsp flour, 1/3 cup lemon juice, 1 cup chicken stock, 2 tbsp whole grain mustard, 1 tbsp honey, ½ tsp ground cumin – bring to boil.

Pour this mixture over shanks. Cover. Bake 90mins or until meat is falling off bones.

510, Apr 6, 3:09am
Just followed this recipe, they are now in the oven.wanted something easy and I had the ingredients in the pantry.

510, Apr 6, 8:52am
illusion,The lamb shanks were so easy & yummy.They just melted in my mouth.

headin2aussie, Apr 6, 10:17am
First time I've ever cooked shanks tonight.I used the cook in the pot mix, although had to cook in the oven all day really really slowly as there were 10 shanks and they wouldnt fit in the poor ole crockpot!Meat was falling off the bone, but they were swimming in fat uuugggggh!

Going to try the tinfoil method next time ....

illusion_, Apr 6, 9:29pm
Glad you enjoyed. They certainly are a great meal. Sort of like a mini roast lamb for each person.

fisher, Apr 7, 1:49am
Roasted Lamb Shanks with Mint Glaze
Serve with kumara / potato mash and green vegetables
4-8 lamb shanks..1/4 cup thick mint sauce..1/4 cup liquid honey..2 tbsp crushed ginger..2 tbsp soy sauce..2 tbsp brown sugar..
Place all glaze ingredients in a bowl and mix well..Line a roasting pan with foil leaving a generous overhang..Place the lamb shanks in pan
Brush generously with the glaze... Fold over and seal foil so that shanks are completely enclosed..Reserve remaining glaze
Cook in oven at 160C for 11/2 - 1 3/4 hrs...Uncover shanks, baste with glaze - return to oven for a further 30 - 40 mins
Baste with glaze in the pan 3 or 4 more times.

fee1965, Apr 7, 1:52am
a suggestion when slow cooking lamb, where ever possible cook the day before, let the gravy set in fridge and remove the slab of fat leaving pure gravy - fat free!All casseroled meat tastes better the net day.If you don't have to me to do previous day, remove meat, pour gravy into flat dish, chuck in a couple of ice cubes to cool it and freeze till the fat comes to the top and you can remove it.Add back to meat once fat gone and hey presto!

corgi731, Apr 7, 1:54am
Yum thanks fisher, we have lamb shanks a bit, its the cheapest way to have lamb in our family ( there only 3 of us)... I'm going to try this in the weekend.

winnie15, Apr 7, 4:45am
our fav recipe is a one pot wonder ..
4-6 lamb shanks
6 little onions or 2 large cut into wedges ..
chopped mint
brown onion gravy packet
2-3 carrots peeled and cut into chunks .. parsnips the same if you like them ..spuds, kumera, pumpkin peeled and cut into 1/4's.
brown lamb shanks and onions and place in roasting dish, add veges, 1 tablespoon chopped mint and 1sachet brown onion gravy mix and 1 cup of water {2 sachets and 1 1/2 cups water if using 6 or more shanks}, mix and pour over meat and vege. Cover and cook at 150 for 2 1/2 hrs turning ingredients carefully a couple of times during cooking. Add one tin of drained peas, leave uncovered for 30 mins and serve.

greerg, Apr 7, 7:27am
I usually casserole them for about four hours - two hours one day, leave them over night to cool, remove fat then cook for another two hours before serving.Actuallyit's so wintery here that I might just get some tomorrow.