Braised Port Lamb Shank

This lamb dish is so delicious. This is an adapted version of Chuck Hughes’ recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/braised-port-lamb-shanks/11362/

I saw him make it on an episode of Chuck’s Day Off, one of my favourite food programs. My recipe is quite a departure from his recipe, only because I didn’t have all the ingredients at home, but the method for the most part is the same. I learned something new about how to glaze protein from Chuck. I love the technique. I will share this with you later on in the post.

I love Chuck’s style of cooking. I would describe it as elevated comfort food. The next time we go to Europe, we’re going to plan on a connection in Montreal so that we can stop in at his restaurant and try his food and of course spend a couple of days in this beautiful city. I spent a year there when I was a visiting student at McGill, a long time ago. It’s a great city that offers so much style and culture, but I digress, back to the recipe.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp cumin

1 tbsp brown sugar

2 tsp smoked paprika

2 tsp white pepper

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp sea salt

4 lamb shanks

2 tbsp olive oil

1 red onion, chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1 small leek, chopped

1 cup Port

2 cups chicken stock

5 cloves of garlic, sliced in half

1 bay leaf

2 tbsp butter

3 tbsp honey

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Rub the lamb shanks with the spice mixture. Heat the oil in an oven proof pan on medium to high heat. Add the lamb shanks to the pan. Brown on both sides for a couple of minutes. Remove the lamb from the pan to make room for the vegetables.

Add your chopped vegetables to the pan. Cook them until they have softened slightly and are golden brown. Turn off the heat. Deglaze the pan with the Port. Stir and scrape off any of the crusty bits from the bottom of your pan. Allow the Port to reduce by about half. Add the chicken stock and stir. Add the lamb shanks back to the pan. Set them on top of the vegetables. Add the garlic and bay leaf. Put a lid on your pan (or cover with aluminum foil) and put the pan in the oven. Braise the lamb in the oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Turn the lamb shanks over once during that time.

Remove the lamb shanks from the pan. Strain the liquid in the pan. Put the strained liquid back in the pan and reduce by half. This will create a beautiful flavourful sauce for your lamb. It’s so delicious.

While the strained liquid is reducing, in another pan on low heat, add the butter and the honey. Then add the braised lamb shanks to the pan and coat them with the sweet buttery glaze.

Braised Port Lamb Shank

I served the lamb shanks with mashed potatoes and vegetables. The Port sauce goes so well with the mashed potatoes and the vegetables. I tossed the blanched vegetables some butter honey glaze too. It’s my new favourite thing. Thanks, Chuck!

Serves 4

Enjoy!