the underrated lamb shank

After reading (and by reading I mean I listened to the audio CD) Michael Pollan’s book Cooked, I was more motivated to cook than ever. He describes in depth how to cook with fire, cook with water, preserve by fermentation, and bake rustic bread. His section on slow cooking tough cuts of meat motivated me to learn more about the technique of braising. The cheapest cuts of meat can be just as flavorful as any expensive cut, but they require careful slow cooking technique to make the meat tender.

The basic science is that the most exercised parts of an animal (leg, rump and shoulder) have more collagen which makes the meat tough and chewy. With enough cooking time at around 150 degrees, the collagen transforms into gelatin, so the meat becomes soft and breaks apart. So it is all about time and temperature – low and slow. It’s time to slow down and cook more.

This brings me to lamb shank. It is one of the cheapest cuts, but it requires some slow cooking. It’s basically the equivalent of a chicken drum stick, which is one of my favorite cuts. Here is my recipe for lamb shank.

• 2 lamb shanks (one per person)
• 2 carrots
• 2 celery stalks
• 1/2 large onion
• 1 cup red wine
• 2 cups vegetable or chicken stock (or water)
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt and pepper (more than you think you need)

1. Add smoked paprika, cumin, salt and pepper along with some olive oil and rub into the meat. Marinate for 1 hour.
2. Chop carrots, celery, and onion. Rough chop garlic.
3. Saute carrots, celery, onion and garlic on med-low. Don’t let it burn. Add to crock pot.
4. Add oil to cast iron or stainless steel pan and brown the lamb shanks on med to med-high until you have brown all over.
5. Add wine to deglaze pan. Make sure to get all the sticky brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Those are all good flavor.
6. Put lamb shanks on top of vegetables in crock pot and add the wine liquid along with 1 cup of vegetable stock.
7. Cook on low for 3-5 hours, or until the meat falls off the bone.
8. Garnish with any herb you have. I used mint because it goes well with lamb and I have a ton of it in my garden.