Foodblogging - Braised Lamb Shanks

Braising is one of my favorite cooking methods. It converts tough-but-flavorful cuts into tender-and-flavorful meals. Braising involves long, slow cooking in a flavorful liquid, until the connective tissue dissolves in the liquid, making a rich sauce.

We got lamb shanks for the braise (you'll see that I've trimmed, or "frenched" the ends of the shanks). These shanks are pretty big, so the lamb may be what the Aussies call mutton (older, larger sheep). If so, it's even more important to braise them, since they'll be tougher.

Also shown is the mis-en-place, or the collection of ingredients, prepared for cooking. In the front is the mirepoix, the combination of carrots, celery, and onion that is the base of much french cooking. Also fresh local (yellow) tomato, and rosemary and garlic. Yes, I cheat and use the garlic-in-a-tube. We don't use garlic fast enough to eat it before it starts sprouting, and once you have green sprouts in the cloves, the garlic has become bitter. Crushed garlic in a tube doesn't go bitter.

One of the mistakes a lot of beginning cooks make is to not brown the meat before roasting or braising. This saves some time (which is why people skip the step), but you lose the carmelization process that provides a depth of flavor that you can't get any way. It took me 10 minutes to brown the shanks over medium-high heat, and I had to do it in batches (two at a time).

Remove the shanks from the pot, and toss the mirepoix in. While it sizzles, use it to scrape the pot's bottom. All those dark bits have a lot of flavor, and you want to get them away from the pot bottom (and into the cooking liquid).

Then everything comes together. Shanks go in, along with garlic and tomatoes, rosemary, salt and pepper. I used about half the bottle of Chianti, and about a cup of chicken stock. It looks like this.

Cover the pot and put in a 300 degree oven for at least 2 hours, You're looking for the meat to become fork tender.

Server over grits (yum!) with the rest of the Chianti. If you want to go for that "mirepoix is french darnit, so the wine must be, too" then a Cotes du Rhone would be nice. You want obscure but cheap, go for Cotes du Ventoux.

While I haven't tried it, I'd wager that Venison shanks would be great this way. Because the meat will have a more pronounced gaminess, you'll want a wine that will hold up to the flavors. A burgundy is the classic match for game; either a more mainstream Pommard or a more obscure Monthelie.

Can't help much on Italian wines, but would expect that one of the "Super Tuscans" would be a good match with venison.

UPDATE 15 October 21:05: Gack! I forgot the finishing point - 1 1/2 Tbsp of Balsamic Vinegar. You aren't trying to make it sour; rather, you want to "brighten it up" after the long slow cooking. I forgot today, and it was noticeable.