Lamb shanks - Real Recipes from Mums (2024)

FAQs

Which cooking method is best for shanks? ›

A bit of time in the oven (or slow cooker) will do all the hard work of tenderizing the lamb shanks until they are fall-off-the-bone tender. Plus, the meat has enough time to absorb all the delicious flavors of the sauce (and yes, the flavorful sauce is a big deal!) Season well.

The secret to cooking lamb shanks is to cook them low and slow, until the meat is fall-apart tender. Lamb shanks have quite a bit of connective tissue that requires cooking in a liquid or moist environment for several hours before the meat will become soft.

There is no need to rinse raw lamb before cooking because this creates a cross-contamination hazard and is not necessary.

Do you need to trim lamb shanks? Shanks will usually be ready to cook right away, but you can trim off excess fat and the silverskin (a thin, shiny membrane) for nicer presentation. You can also 'French' your shanks by slicing away the tendons and sinew at the smaller end of the shank, exposing the bone.

Lamb shanks are a very tough cut and need to be cooked slowly for a period of time. The fats and sinews in this cut need to render down, making for beautifully tender meat that's full of flavour. You can cook it low and slow for up to 8 hours which is great for slow cookers.

The leg and rack of lamb are perfect for herb-crusting and oven-roasting; since the shank and shoulder are a bit tougher, they fare well in stews or braises—the long cook time allows them to significantly break down and become fork-tender.

Slow cooking in liquid transforms tougher cuts of lamb into fork-tender meat. Neck, shoulder and belly, either diced or as whole joints, are the best cuts for slow cooking and need to be cooked for at least 2 hrs at 150°C to soften the meat.

Baking soda / bi-carb and cornflour/cornstarch are the secret ingredients that tenderise the lamb meat. It's a technique called “velveting” that is used by Chinese restaurants, and it's the reason why the meat in your favourite Chinese dishes are always so soft.

Is lamb shank healthy? ›

The meat is typically cooked slowly, often braised or roasted, to make it tender and flavorful. The benefits of eating lamb shank includes, it's a good source of protein, it contains high levels of essential amino acids, it is a rich source of vitamin B12 and iron, it's also a good source of zinc, selenium, and niacin.

If the lamb was properly cooked on thee outside then the inside being pink is safe, as any bacteria will be on the outside. Minced meat like burgers should be cooked throughout, not pink.

Temperatures for braising lamb shanks

Insert a probe, attached to your ChefAlarm, into one of your shanks and set your high-temperature alarm to 203°F (95°C). By the time the meat comes up to that temperature at that cooking temp, enough of the collagen will have melted to make your shanks fork-tender.

Simply salt your lamb (heavily), then add it to a bowl filled with cold water and add a cup of distilled white vinegar. In ten minutes or so, your lamb will be ready to rinse and cook.

Shank Cross-Cut | Lean. A cross-section of the leg, which is used extensively for movement. As a result, it is typically braised to make flavorful, fork-tender dishes such as Osso Buco.

Beef shank is best for slow-cooking methods like braising or stewing. Its rich flavor makes it perfect for osso buco or hearty soups and stews.

Stewing or braising the meat is the best way to achieve this as you can stop the meat from drying out with the liquid and the long cooking time on the low heat gives the meat enough opportunity to break down the toughness and become amazingly soft and tender.

However, beef shanks can become extremely tender, as in: eat-it-with-a-spoon-tender if it is cooked for a long time in moist heat (like simmering it all day in your crockpot). Therefore, braising or slow cooking beef shank is ideal.