Lamb Shank Irish Stew
Easy to make and completely satisfying to eat...the depth of flavour is just amazing, hearty and delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 lamb shanks excess fat removed
- 30g pearl barley
- 300ml lamb stock or water (stock made using 1 lamb stock cube or pot)
- 1 fresh thyme sprig or 0.5 tsp dried thyme
- 1 fresh parsley sprig
- 1 tsp salt
- 140g carrots roughly chopped
- 1 large leek washed, trimmed and cut into 8 pieces
- 4 small potatoes peeled and quartered (see Notes)
- 2 small onions quartered
- a handful of fresh parsley leaves blanched and refreshed (see Notes)
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Heat the oil in a large shallow casserole over a high heat. Fry the lamb shanks for about 5 minutes, until nicely coloured on all sides. Add the barley, stock or water, herbs and 1 tsp salt. Cover with a lid and cook in the oven for 1.5 hours.
- Now add the vegetables, cover with the lid again and cook for another hour.
- Remove the dish from the oven and check that the lamb is moist and almost falling off the bone. If you think that it’s not quite ready, return it to the oven for another 10 to 15 minutes.
- Put the dish on the hob on a high heat, plate the lamb shanks into warm plates or bowls, then add the blanched parsley to the casserole. Check and adjust the seasoning, to taste, and bubble for a couple of minutes.
- Ladle the braised vegetables and gravy over the lamb shanks.
Notes
- Potatoes – it’s up to you if you want to peel them or not – I left them unpeeled. In the TV programme, Paul Rankin half peeled them with stripes!
- To blanch the parsley – place boiling water in a bowl, drop in the parsley and stir for 15 to 30 seconds, ensuring the parsley stays bright green. Transfer the parsley to a bowl with ice and cold water to refresh and keep it’s colour, ready to add at Step 4.
- This lamb shank irish stew recipe is easily adapted if you’re cooking for less people.