LAMB SHANKS WITH A DIFFERENCE

I’m always so grateful for this group, no matter where in the world I find myself. Today I would like to share my take on lamb shanks.

4 lamb shanks
100 ml oil
salt to taste
4 onions, chopped
1 tablespoon chilli flakes
11 fresh garlic cloves
125 ml red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon crushed garlic
1 tablespoon crushed garlic and chilli mix
3 blocks chicken stock, mixed with 750 ml hot water
2 tablespoons dry rosemary or 3 springs of fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh or dry oregano, finely chopped
2 tablespoons French thyme leaves or dry thyme
½ cup raisons, optional
400 ml dry red wine

Preheat the oven to 220ºC.
Rub the lamb shanks with half of the oil and sprinkle with salt to taste.
Place the lamb shanks in an oven dish or cast-iron pot and bake it in the oven for about 20 minutes, turning the shanks once.
In a big pan on the stovetop, add the remaining oil and the chopped onions to the pan and fry until transparent.
Add the chilli flakes and garlic cloves and cook for 10 min.
Add the red wine vinegar, crushed garlic, crushed garlic and chili mix, chicken stock, chopped rosemary, oregano and thyme and let it simmer for 3 min.
Add the raisons and red wine and stir to mix.
Remove the lamb shanks from the oven and turn the temperature down to 180ºC.
Add the onion mixture over the lamb shanks, cover with the lid and allow to slow cook for about 2 hours.
After the 2 hours, I removed the shanks from the oven, packed the meat on a stainless steel tray on the fire and allow the juices to reduce and thicken over the heat.
You can also serve it directly from the oven dish or pot.
I served this dish with pap pie, braai broodjies with different fillings and citrus carrots, which can be served as a side salad or as a hot dish.
I hope you will enjoy this as much as we did.

Note:
This dish can also be made on the fire in a cast-iron potjie of your choice.

Recipe and photo: Johan De V Swanepoel