Ease of preparation rating: Medium
Yield: 4 servings
INGREDIENTS:
4 lamb shanks
2 cups (480 ml) hickory wood chips
1 bottle Chinese beer
Rub
¼ cup (60 ml) sesame oil
1 tablespoon (15 ml) salt
1 tablespoon (15 ml) sugar
1 tsp (5 ml) ground black pepper
1 tsp (5 ml) Chinese 5-spice
Asian Barbeque Sauce
½ cup (125 ml) hoisin sauce
½ cup (125 ml) oyster sauce
2 tablespoons (30 ml) rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons (30 ml) chili flakes
2 tablespoons (30 ml) honey
METHOD:
Soak wood chips in water for 1 hour and strain. Place wet wood chips on a large sheet of aluminum foil. Close the foil up loosely to make a sealed pouch. Pierce the pouch in several spots, top and bottom.
Prepare grill for indirect heat. Preheat one side of the grill to low temperature, 220 F (105 C), leaving the other side off. Place drip pan under grate with no heat. Place smoke pouch on grate above the burner that is turned on.
Remove any silver skin and excess fat from lamb shanks and rub with sesame oil.
In a small bowl, mix together salt, sugar, ground black pepper and Chinese 5-spice.
Rub mixture over lamb shanks.
When grill has reached low temperature and smoke has started to appear, remove lid and place lamb shanks on the unheated side of the grill. Pour beer into drip pan. Close the lid of barbeque.
Smoke the lamb for one hour.
For the Asian Barbeque Sauce, mix together hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, rice wine vinegar, chili flakes, and honey in a medium-sized bowl. Reserve 1 cup of sauce for serving.
After 1 hour remove lamb, and place on baking tray. Remove the smoking pouch.
Brush each lamb shank with Asian Barbeque Sauce and wrap in foil. Seal package well and return to the unheated side of the grill. Close lid and cook for 1 hour.
Remove lamb from grill.
Let cool slightly and remove foil. The lamb should almost fall off the bone.
Serve with remaining Asian Barbeque Sauce and Asian Coleslaw (see recipe).
Note: Cooking times and temperatures will vary depending on the size and type of your barbeque.
