One of my favorite go-to recipes is Beer and Herb Braised Lamb Shanks cooked over hot Cowboy Charcoal and Pit Wood. While this dish has Irish roots, it’s perfect for any occasion when you need a hearty and satisfying meal.
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I’ve always associated Ireland with friendly people, classic drinks, and hearty food, and this dish captures that essence perfectly. Having spent time there with my wife, it holds a special place in my heart, reminding me of the warmth and comfort of home.
Braising lamb shanks is a cooking technique that results in tender, flavorful meat that falls off the bone. It involves slow-cooking the meat in a flavorful liquid until it’s melt-in-your-mouth delicious. So, if you’re wondering what this dish is all about, let me fill you in.
Table of Contents
- Why you’ll love this recipe
- Ingredients
- How to Make This Beer-Braised Lamb Shank Recipe
- Tips for Beer Braised Lamb Shanks
- More Lamb Recipes
- How to Store Leftovers & Reheat
- What to serve with this braised lamb shank recipe
- Beer Braised Lamb Shanks FAQs
- Flavor X Fire & FOOD X Fire
- Beer Braised Lamb Shanks Recipe
Why you’ll love this recipe
This Beer and Herb Braised Lamb Shanks recipe involves tender lamb shanks, slow-cooked in a rich, dark beer and herb-infused broth. It’s comfort food at its finest because that savory goodness will have you coming back for more and more. The combination of aromatic herbs, hearty beer, and melt-in-your-mouth lamb creates a dish that’s downright irresistible.
Love lamb? Try these recipes Rosemary Garlic Lamb Chops, Herb Butter American Lamb Steaks, Cast Iron American Lamb Chops, Crown Roast of Lamb and White Wine Herb Lamb Skewers.
Ingredients
- Lamb Shanks: Fresh lamb shanks work best. If you can’t find these at your local grocery, check your local butcher shop or you could also order them online.
- Mustard: Used as a rub for the lamb, it doesn’t add much flavor but rather serves as a binder for our seasonings. Dijon mustard is a good choice.
- Sea Salt and Black Pepper
- Olive Oil and Butter: Used for searing the lamb. Use unsalted butter.
- Cloves garlic: It adds aroma and flavor to the braising liquid. Fresh garlic cloves are ideal.
- Beef Broth: It’s the savory base for the braising liquid. Low-sodium beef broth is preferred.
- Red Wine Vinegar: It brings a subtle tanginess to balance the dish’s richness.
- Stout Beer: This is the main liquid for braising, adding deep, malty flavors. I recommend a full-bodied stout because I think it pairs best with this recipe.
- Thyme and Rosemary: These fresh herbs infuse the liquid with aromatic notes. Use fresh thyme and fresh rosemary.
- Lemons: They add acidity and freshness. Freshly squeezed lemon juice is recommended.
- Parsley: Fresh parsley leaves are perfect for this.
How to Make This Beer-Braised Lamb Shank Recipe
First, coat the lamb shanks with oil and season them with mustard, sea salt, and black pepper. Then, pop them in the fridge for 1 hour to let the flavors meld.
Now, using Cowboy Charcoal and Cowboy Pit Wood, make a fire with medium-high heat.
Next, place a large Dutch oven over the fire and let it heat up. Add butter to the bottom of the pot and let it melt. Once melted, put the seasoned lamb shanks in the Dutch oven. Next, sear shanks thoroughly for about 2-3 minutes on each side. When they’re nicely seared and golden brown, take them out and set them aside.
Then, add garlic to the Dutch oven and let it brown for about 1 minute. Once browned, carefully pour in the rest of the braising ingredients. Place lamb shanks back in the Dutch oven and cover it. Let everything simmer over a medium-high fire for about 3 hours or until the meat is almost falling off the bone (usually between 2-3 hours).
Lastly, when the lamb is done, remove the cast iron from the fire and pour the braising juice over the lamb. Sprinkle some chopped parsley on top for garnish, and you’re ready to enjoy your delicious meal!
Tips for Beer Braised Lamb Shanks
- To maintain heat throughout the slow cooking process, I used Cowboy Charcoal and Cowboy Pit Wood. Lump charcoal from Cowboy is an amazing way to keep that Dutch oven simmering for multiple hours on these Beer and Herb Braised Lamb Shanks.
- Since the charcoal is easy to light, we will be adding the pit wood first to make a big fire, then surrounding it with a whole bag of Cowboy Charcoal. This will be a perfect setup because the wood will burn from the inside of the fire ring all the way to the outside with all the coals. Over time, the coals will light and maintain that even heat that we need.
- Pat the lamb shanks dry with paper towels before coating them with mustard, salt, and pepper.
More Lamb Recipes
How to Store Leftovers & Reheat
Store leftover lamb shanks in an airtight container up to 4 days in the fridge and up to 3 months in the freezer.
Before reheating, make sure your lamb shanks come to room temperature.
To reheat leftover lamb shanks, preheat your oven to 350F, transfer the lamb shanks to an oven-safe dish, cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 15-20 minutes until heated through. Adding a splash of broth or water before covering will help keep them moist.
What to serve with this braised lamb shank recipe
When you’re dishing up lamb shanks, you want sides that really amp up the meal. Think creamy mashed potatoes or velvety mashed cauliflower for that cozy vibe. Roasted veggies like carrots, parsnips, and Brussels sprouts add a nice crunch and flavor contrast. Toss in a crisp green salad with a zesty dressing for a fresh touch. And don’t forget some crusty bread or rolls to soak up all that tasty braising sauce.
When pairing red wine with beer-braised lamb shanks, opt for bold choices like Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Malbec, or Merlot. These wines complement the rich flavors of the dish, with their robust profiles enhancing the savory notes of the lamb.
Beer Braised Lamb Shanks FAQs
Braising is the act of cooking something quickly, first to sear it, then slowly over time in an enclosed simmering sauce. Most often, this is a style of cooking used on meat that would typically take a very long time to cook. I have done this with beef ribs before and now with lamb shanks.
Lamb shanks are a classic meat for braising. This piece of meat comes from the lower part of the legs of the lamb. It is a very tough muscle as it is used often, and therefore is very difficult to cook by simply grilling.
By braising these lamb shanks, we are able to allow slow heat and moisture to work for us. This will create a tender and juicy piece of meat that will basically fall right off the bone. At least, that is what we are hoping for in these Beer and Herb Braised Lamb Shanks.
Yes! Sear lamb shanks in a large skillet and transfer them to your crock pot. Add the remaining ingredients and cook on low heat for 7-8 hours. The lamb shanks should be fork tender. Keep in mind that the shanks won’t have that same smoky flavor from the charcoal, but they’ll still be freakin’ delicious!
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Beer Braised Lamb Shanks
Ingredients
Lamb Shank Ingredients:
- 3-4 Lamb Shanks
- 2 tbsp of Mustard
- 1.5 tsp of Sea Salt
- 1.5 tsp of Black Pepper
- 1 tbsp of Olive Oil
- 2 tbsp of Butter
Braising Ingredients
- 8-10 cloves of Garlic
- 2 cups of Beef Broth
- ½ cup of Red Wine Vinegar
- 32 oz of Stout Beer
- 4 sprigs of Thyme
- 4 sprigs of Rosemary
- 1-2 Lemons
- Parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Lather the lamb shanks in oil then season with mustard, sea salt and black pepper. Place in the fridge and let it sit for 1 hour.
- Using Cowboy Charcoal and Cowboy Pit Wood, create a medium-high temperature fire.
- Set up your dutch oven over fire, and preheat until nice and hot.
- Add butter into dutch oven and let it melt.
- Add seasoned lamb shanks and sear the outside thoroughly (about 2-3 minutes). Once seared, pull out of dutch oven and set aside.
- Add garlic to dutch oven and let it brown (about 1 minute). Once browned, carefully add the rest of the braising ingredients.
- Place the lamb shanks back into the dutch oven and close. Simmer over a medium-high fire for about 3 hours or until the meat almost falls off the bone (between 2.5 to 3 hours).
- Once lamb is done, pull out cast iron and top with braising juice. Garnish with chopped parsley and enjoy!
