Lamb Shanks with red wine and Sriracha spice
A lamb stew cooked in red wine, savory spices, and Sriracha spice is a delicious and mouthwatering dish for the ones who enjoy a wonderful lamb dish. Do you agree? I think I should answer that question because this experience happened by accident.
I have a confession. Remember a few months ago I shared with you my purchase of a crockpot? I have been testing it and I don’t currently have great news. I have a good excuse for not having great news and there it is.
I am a fanatic of lamb, in particular, lamb chops and lamb shanks. I also enjoy creating different taste with this type of meat because it is a challenge for me. It is a challenge because it can be difficult to remove the smell. Lamb meat can have a funny smell as some people may say, but in reality, it is a game smell.
The gamey smell depends on the age and type of lamb. By masking the smell with spices, you can almost remove any unwanted smell. But there are two ingredients that can do a better job. Red wine and balsamic vinegar will help in minimizing the lamb’s gamey aroma. When mixed with the right amount of spices you have a tantalizing dish.
So where does the crockpot come from? This recipe is an inspiration of a recipe found in my recipe book for dishes prepared with the use of a crockpot. The recipe in question is made with red wine, rosemary and garlic and a few other ingredients. When thinking about lamb shanks, I think of huge pieces of meat and bone. Lamb shanks are usually too large to fit in regular pots and pans. Finding the right size can be a bit difficult. When I purchased my crockpot I did not buy a large size because of two reasons. I wanted to try it out and make sure that I would use it often; the second reason is because my family size is small.
Lamb shanks are usually too large to fit in regular pots and pans. Finding the right size can be a bit difficult. When I purchased my crockpot I did not buy a large size because of two reasons. I wanted to try it out and make sure that I would use it often; the second reason is because my family size is small.
For this recipe I opted to use a good red wine. One that I can savor and is palatable. I also opted out to cook the lamb in my cast iron Dutch oven instead of the crockpot. And I do not regret that decision at all. I chose to cook the shanks in a cast iron Dutch oven because I prefer my meat to cook slow and evenly. Not to say that it’s does not happen in the crockpot, but I don’t understand why I have to start cooking the meat prior to adding it to the crockpot. This does not make sense.
Yellow and White Potatoes RoastedThe result is always superb when using my Dutch oven. This recipe I adapted or re-created taste better than the original in my opinion. Lamb is usually cooked with garlic, salt, pepper, and rosemary – the perfect spice combination. Lamb is also served with some sort of starchy dish. Mashed potato or roasted potatoes are always great. I usually roast a combination of white and yellow or just one type depending on my mood. As the lamb will take a long time to cook, a complete meal cooked with patience is worth the wait.
Lamb Shanks with red wine and Sriracha spice
Ingredients
- 4 lamb shanks even size if possible
- 2 lemons/limes to clean meat or ¼ cup to soak meat with water for 5 minutes
- Salt and pepper
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion sliced
- 3 carrots cut into thin slices
- 4 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 2 – 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
- ¼ cup of chives chopped
- 2 cups fresh tomatoes cut in chopped small
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha seasoning
- 2 - 3 cups of red wine such as Shiraz, Malbec, or Zinfandel (depending on the size of the shanks)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Clean lamb your preferred way (lime/lemon or vinegar). Rinse under running water and pat dry and set aside. In a large Dutch oven, large enough to hold shanks. Heat oil under low to medium heat. Season shanks with salt and pepper. Add the lamb to pot and brown them thoroughly on all sides. Set aside
- In same pot, add onion, carrots, garlic, rosemary and chives. Sauté briefly until soften. Add the tomatoes and mix well. Place the shanks on top of veggies, sprinkle the Sriracha spice and slowly add the wine. Bring to a boil, lower heat to low setting, cover and let cook until the meat is falling off the bone. Season with additional salt and pepper halfway through cooking. If sauce is a bit to runny and too much, continue to cook uncover until the right amount of sauce is reached. Serve with roasted potatoes or mashed potatoes.
Notes
Nutrition
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.
Nutrition info is automatically generated and provided as a courtesy and as an estimate only.
