Hubby’s Slow Cooker Lamb Shanks (croc-pot)
A tasty, mildly spiced Indian inspired slow cooker lamb shanks dish for all the family to enjoy for all seasons! Serve on a bed of hot steamed white, brown or Low GI white rice. Equally delicious with mashed potatoes or soft polenta!
Ingredients
- 4 Lamb Shanks 400gx4
- 2 tbsp. oil
- 2 medium Spanish | brown onions cut into chunks 290g
- 6 cloves of garlic sliced 30g
- ¾ cup good quality red wine 175mL
- 1 tbsp. corn flour 10g
- ¼ cup water to make the slurry
For the rub
- 1 tsp. Kashmiri chilli powder 3g
- 2 tsp. salt or to taste 8g
Into the slow cook pot
- 1-2 tbsp. ginger chopped
- 800 g diced canned tomatoes
- 200 Swiss brown mushrooms readily sliced
- 3 medium carrots peeled and cubed (350g)
- 3 sticks celery cleaned & roughly chopped 150g with leaves
- 2 sprigs rosemary with stem 2 x 10cm sprigs
- 1 tsp. Kashmiri chilli powder 3g or to taste
- 1 tsp. cumin powder 3g
- ¾ tsp. black mustard powder 2g
- ½ tsp. turmeric powder 2g
- ½ tsp. garam masala powder 2g
- 2 tbsp. honey
- 1 tsp. sugar 6g
- 2½ tsp. salt 11g or to taste
- 2 tbsp. parsley/coriander leaves chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Trim excess fat and sinew from the lamb shanks. Rub with chilli powder and salt all around. Set aside for 20 minutes. Rinse hands well with soapy liquid immediately.
- While the lamb is resting, chop the vegetables. Measure the spice powders that go into the slow cooker (croc-pot) and keep them ready.
- Drizzle oil into a heavy based large non-stick frying pan and place on medium-high heat. Brown the lamb shanks on all sides (approx. 5 minutes in all), rotating from time to time, (as shown in the video). Work in two batches if using a small frying pan, so the pan is not crowded. Remove the shanks one by one and place them in a large croc-pot or slow cooker. I use my 5.5 litre slow cooker/croc-pot.
- Add onion to the same frying pan (add a bit more oil, if needed) and fry until translucent (about 4 minutes). Add sliced garlic and stir for a few minutes until lightly golden. Spoon contents of the frying pan into the slow cooker including oil.
- Reduce heat to low and return frying pan to heat. Add red wine and deglaze the pan. Cook for a couple minutes or until alcohol content has evaporated. Pour over the shanks in the slow cooker.
- Add all the ingredients except the parsley/coriander leaves, under the heading “Into the slow cook pot” on the top of the prepared lamb shanks. Close lid and cook on High for 6 hours or on Low for 8 hours. Gently stir the contents in the slow cooker half way through cooking, for the flavours to distribute. close lid and continue cooking.
- After 5½ - 5¾ hours (if you are cooking on 'High') open the lid. Skim as much fat as you can. Remove the cooked lamb shanks along with some of the carrots, mushrooms, and place on to large platter. Removing them a little early will keep the meat intact with the bone. However, if you are cooking on ‘Low’, remove the lamb shanks after 7½ - 7¾ hours of cooking.
- To make the chunky sauce: Ladle all the gravy from the slow cooker into a deep medium size saucepan. Place on medium heat and simmer for approximately 15-20 minutes or until it reduces to the consistency that you like (you should have enough thick sauce to serve comfortably between 4 lamb shanks). Combine corn flour with water until well dissolved. Add this slurry to the gravy and stir to combine. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until gravy is thick and glossy. Remove from heat.
- Place one lamb shank on a bed of mashed potatoes, pureed cauliflower, rice or soft polenta. Ladle some gravy on top of the lamb shank. Serve the remaining lamb shanks on individual plates in a similar fashion. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves/parsley and serve immediately.