Sticky spiced lamb shanks

Sticky spiced lamb shanks

This hearty, slow-cooked lamb dish is perfect for two to share as the nights start drawing in

Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 2

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 15 mins

Cook time

Cook 3 hrs

Freezable

Method

  1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Add 1 tbsp oil to a small, tight-lidded casserole and brown shanks for a couple of mins, turning as you go. Remove and set aside.
  2. Add remaining oil and onions to the pan and cook for about 10 mins until soft. Add garlic and spices and cook for 4 mins more. Tip in tomatoes and stock, then nestle the shanks back in on their sides. Bring to a boil, cover and put in the oven. Cook for 2 hrs: turn the shanks now and then.
  3. Remove the lid and stir through the molasses, apricots and figs. Cook, uncovered, for 30 mins more or until the meat is falling away from the bone.
  4. Remove shanks from the dish and wrap in foil to keep warm. Put the dish back onto the heat and cook down the juices until thick and saucy. Season, then serve the shanks, scattered with coriander, alongside the rice (see 'Goes well with', right).
Try

START WITH SPINACH HOUMOUS

Very gently fry ¼ tsp ground cumin and 1 crushed garlic clove in 1 tbsp olive oil for 2 mins, before tipping in 100g bag baby spinach. Cook until just wilted. Squeeze out all the excess liquid, then blitz with 6 tbsp ready-made houmous and a squeeze of lemon juice. Serve with toasted pitta and carrot sticks.

IF YOU WANT TO USE A SLOW COOKER

Brown your shanks in a frying pan with the oil for a couple of minutes then place in the slow cooker with all the other ingredients except coriander. Cover and cook on Low for 9-10 hours. Take out the lamb then finish off the sauce in a pan on the hob according to step 4, above.

Per serving

1114 kcalories, protein 95g, carbohydrate 64g, fat 55 g, saturated fat 23g, fibre 10g, sugar 52g, salt 1.93 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, October 2010.

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Latest comments and suggestions

  • Binder photo Scrumpy Jack Flash

    26 September 2010

    Scrumpy Jack Flash rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Lovely recipe, easy to make. I would cook the lamb shanks for longer than the 2 1/2 hours though, as it wasn't falling off the bone as much as i would like. It would probably do with another hour at least but i think even longer if you have time. I will be making this recipe again.

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  • Binder photo Andy May

    30 September 2010

    Andy May rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This is going to become a favourite. Delicious, one of the best lamb shank recipes I've cooked. It's worth cooking the jewelled rice recipe to accompany it.

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  • Binder photo Beth

    02 October 2010

    Beth rated and commented on this recipe

    3 stars

    This was nice but next time I wouldn't add the pomegranate molasses as I thought it made it too sweet. Also had to add extra water as it had dried out a bit after 2hrs (even though it was covered).

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  • Binder photo BryanGarvie

    05 October 2010

    BryanGarvie commented on this recipe

    Where can you get pomegranate molasses? Not something you see often in the supermarket and we're a bit short of good delis round our way.

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  • Binder photo Philippa

    05 October 2010

    Philippa rated and commented on this recipe

    3 stars

    Really nice was of doing lambshanks. This is an awful lot of food for two though, it would easily do three if you stripped the meat off the bones. I didn't have any figs so just doubled the apricots and it was fine. I also added some tomato puree to enrichen it a bit.

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  • Binder photo Paula

    06 November 2010

    Paula rated and commented on this recipe

    2 stars

    I wasn't so keen on this...the lamb cooked beautifully and the sauce was a nice consistency, I just found it too rich. I made the jewelled rice to go with it and that was gorgeous.

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  • Binder photo Emma's Stuff

    07 November 2010

    Emma's Stuff rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Absolutely gorgeous. I usually don't like lamb much because of the fat but my partner loves it so we gave this recipe a go. The lamb was beautifully cooked and the sauce tastes amazing. Thank you

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  • Binder photo lin

    17 November 2010

    lin commented on this recipe

    I cooked lambshanks but did not have molasses or figs. I found this to be a good spicy tomato sauce and the shanks took on the cinnamon flavour well. I served it with saffron rice.

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  • Binder photo trickydee

    11 March 2011

    trickydee rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    I'm looking to make this is a couple of days but like a few people have found, pomegranate molasses isn't the kind of thing you'd find in your local supermarket so I've found a recipe and made some myself to use. Try 1L pomegranate juice (I've used 250ml concentrate topped up with water), 4 oz sugar and 125ml lemon juice. Heat together on a medium/high heat until sugar has dissolved then simmer for about 1 1/4 hrs until you have approx 200/250ml syrupy liquid. Pour into a jar and cool. A bit of a chore but probably easier than searching the world for the real thing. Hope this helps :-)

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  • Binder photo jan

    18 May 2011

    jan commented on this recipe

    loved by all my family. made a brilliant start to xmas as an xmas eve meal. absolutely delicious. will certainly use this recipe again.

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  • Binder photo Sacha Hamed

    10 September 2011

    Sacha Hamed rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    I bought one large lamb shoulder and followed the recipie apart from cooking it for four hours and using tinned chickpeas. It turned out beautifully tender and sticky and sweet. Next time I will leave out the carrots as (although they tasted amazing) they didn't work with the dish. Also make sure you add a generous amount of chilli as with the sweetness you need a kick of heat. As it was shoulder I cooked it for longer and baisted it occasionally. Really great dish in general as you can leave it until you are ready and a lot of the prep work too.

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  • Binder photo Griff

    18 November 2011

    Griff rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Really loved this. Didn't put the molasses in as other half doesn't really do sweet and it was still lovely.

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  • Binder photo ireneVdT

    25 December 2011

    ireneVdT rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    absolutely a hit. The pomegranate molasses makes it.

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  • Binder photo ireneVdT

    03 September 2012

    ireneVdT commented on this recipe

    one of my favorite recipes. the pomegranate molasses really makes it.

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  • Binder photo Pattipatricia

    04 October 2012

    Pattipatricia commented on this recipe

    Like a number of other commentators, I couldn't find the pomegranate molasses so left it out but can't help feeling it lacked something as a result.

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  • Binder photo Pam's Pantry

    06 November 2012

    Pam's Pantry rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This is a fab recipe. The lamb just fell off the bone and the sauce was delicious. Will definitely make again.

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  • Binder photo Sarah

    15 December 2012

    Sarah rated and commented on this recipe

    1 stars

    I didn't like this at all. I made it in the slow cooker and the lamb was very tender but the tin of tomatos overpowered everything and i didn't like the taste. This recipe was an expensive mistake for me.

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  • Binder photo Susan

    12 February 2013

    Susan commented on this recipe

    Excellent and very tasty easy to make

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  • Binder photo Lahela

    16 April 2013

    Lahela rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Lovely! Made this in the slow cooker - the lamb was very tender so i pulled it and stirred into the sauce to make a stew. Served with the jewelled rice which was also delicious!

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Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 2

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 15 mins

Cook time

Cook 3 hrs

Freezable

Ingredients

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Per serving

1114 kcalories, protein 95g, carbohydrate 64g, fat 55 g, saturated fat 23g, fibre 10g, sugar 52g, salt 1.93 g

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