Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks

The slow cooker is a brilliant invention – especially at this time of year when we are craving hearty stews and soups. You put everything in and it basically takes care of itself. Throw it together at breakfast time on a low heat or lunchtime on high heat, and then by dinner you have a delicious, healthy, home cooked meal and extra to freeze – such a bonus! If you don’t have a slow cooker though, you can still make these shanks (see below).

This is one of the first slow cooker meals I put together and incidentally one of the first recipes that we introduced whilst seeing the Food Coach in the early days of our lifestyle change (so it has her tick of approval too). It is simple, healthy and very tasty! I love serving this with a sweet potato mash and some greens e.g. asparagus. It is really so comforting during the winter months. This also freezes beautifully (we think it actually tastes better after being frozen) so I usually make with 4 shanks at a time. I won’t say the kids love it (my kids don’t really love much in the way of variety!) but they did eat it – which says something (I made my sneaky cauliflower and potato mash for them – see here!).

Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks

(serves 4 adults plus a few kids if they aren’t big eaters (or eat half and freeze half)

You will need

4 lamb shanks
2 can tomatoes (diced or whole – depending on how you like it)
2 tbs of fresh oregano leaves
2 cup of brown lentils
2 Cups stock (watch the cooker – if it gets dry then add some more). If you can make your own beef stock – perfect! I use my homemade chicken stock (which I also regularly make in the slow cooker – recipe for another day)
1-2 tbs of brown sugar (not necessary if you don’t want to use it – you could even try some raw honey for sweetness if you like)
4 carrots peeled and halved lengthwise or some halved button mushrooms (optional)

How to pull it together

Throw the whole lot in the cooker (you can brown the shanks if you like. I used to (it made me feel a bit domestic goddessy!!!) but I don’t bother anymore and they are just as good.

Cook on low all day or high from lunchtime until dinner.

(If you don’t have a slow cooker, you can cook these in a 200 oven. Add all ingredients except lentils – cook for 45 minutes, turn the shanks, add lentils and cook for further 45 minutes or until lamb is soft.)