Red Wine and Garlic Smoked Lamb Shanks | The ULTIMATE Winter Recipe!

red wine

🥗Healthier: non-alcoholic wine

💰Cheaper: grape juice

Grape juice provides sweetness without alcohol.

lamb shanks

🥗Healthier: pork shanks

💰Cheaper: beef shanks

Beef shanks are more affordable and still flavorful.

Go to Drake supermarket to get lamb shanks and other ingredients.

Set up the blackjack kettle barbecue by removing the cooking grate and charcoal baskets.

Place the slow and sear charcoal basket in the barbecue and fill it with lump charcoal or briquettes.

Bury a fire lighter in the charcoal and light it, waiting about 10 to 15 minutes for it to be ready.

Trim the lamb shanks lightly and coat them with yellow mustard to help the rub stick.

Season the lamb shanks with barbecue rub, salt, and black pepper.

Fill the water pan of the barbecue with boiling water to stabilize temperatures.

Close the lid and open both vents to bring the barbecue to just below 275°F (135°C).

Once at temperature, add two chunks of iron bark smoking wood and place the cooking grate back on.

Put the lamb shanks on the cooking grate and close the lid, letting them smoke for 2 to 3 hours until they develop a nice color and the rub sets.

After almost 3 hours, prepare the braising liquid by dicing one brown onion, a couple of carrots, and a few sticks of celery.

In a pot over low to medium heat, add olive oil and brown the onions for a few minutes.

Crush in three cloves of garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes.

Add the diced celery and carrots, cooking for 5 to 10 minutes until they brown and soften slightly.

Add 2 cups of red wine, 2 cups of chicken stock, 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, two tins of crushed tomatoes, additional barbecue rub, and two bay leaves to the pot.

Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.

Open the barbecue, place the lamb shanks in a foil tray, and pour the braising liquid over them.

Cover the tray with foil and return it to the barbecue.

Continue cooking the lamb shanks until they are tender and reach an internal temperature of around 205°F (96°C), which will take another 2 to 3 hours.

After over 5 hours of cooking, check the lamb shanks for tenderness; they should probe with no resistance.

Remove the shanks from the barbecue and let them rest before serving.

Optionally, blitz the sauce to make a gravy or serve the shanks with mashed potatoes or pasta.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens