Patrick McMurray’s Stout and Cider-Braised Lamb Shanks

Ease of Preparation: Medium

Yield: 4 servings

This recipe is used with permission and is owned by Céilí Cottage restaurant.

Ingredients:

Butter, for greasing pot

4 lamb shanks

2 medium Spanish onions, chopped

3 large carrots, unpeeled, sliced on the bias

5 garlic cloves, minced

2 apples, peeled and quartered

¼ cup (60 ml) beef broth

1 x 17-ounce (500 ml) can of Irish stout

1 x 17-ounce (500 ml) can of cider

Fresh thyme leaves (to taste)

Fresh chopped rosemary leaves (to taste)

Salt and pepper

Special Equipment

Cast-iron pot

Method:

Add butter to a cast-iron pot over medium-high and heat. Add lamb shanks to pot and sear on all sides. Remove shanks to a plate and set aside. Reduce heat to medium, then add onions, carrots, garlic, and apple and sauté until soft and translucent.

Add lamb shanks back to pot. Add beef broth, Irish stout, and cider. The lamb shanks should be submerged—if they aren’t, add more liquid. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, then simmer, covered, for 2 hours.

Remove lid. Using two forks, check to see if meat is fall-apart tender, if not, continue to cook until it is. Pull out lamb shanks and set aside to rest. Using a slotted spoon, pull out some of the vegetables and set aside on a plate. Using an immersion blender, blend the remaining vegetables in the pot. Add whole vegetables back to pot. Reduce until you have a thick, textured gravy.

Plate lamb shanks and spoon over gravy.