Repeat Lamb

Braised lamb shanks with mustard and mint

I've done this before.  See the link for details. Nancy likes this quite a bit  so here it is again.. The shanks are more expensive than our usual fare, but sometimes a little luxury is necessary.

The directions for this variation: Heat oven to 350F 

1) Brown shanks in a dutch oven and remove to a plate
2) Chop an onion and cook until soft, add 1 or 2 clove of chopped garlic
3) Deglaze pan with 1/2+ cup wine and 1/2 cup broth (chicken or beef) and 1 TBLS of mustard
4) Return shanks to pan and cover with a cup or so of chopped fresh mint (ours garden is full)
5) Cook about 2 1/2 hours.  Check after 1 1/2 hours and add water if braising liquid is low.
6) Sprinkle some fresh chopped mint over the shanks

Add some veggies or a nice salad.

Paleolithic grill

If the original paleo population of men were cooking lots of meat, they were not using Weber grills. No iron - no grill - no problem.

This method is also known as caveman steak, dirty steaks (they aren't), or Eisenhower steaks.  The former president was a big fan of using this technique.

Start with white hot charcoal.  Use real wood chunk charcoal, it burns hotter and cleaner than the pressed charcoal briquette. Nobody seems to know what all is in those briquettes. It's a good idea to use a chimney to start the coals so that there is no hint of starter fluid.

Lay the meat directly in the coals.  I used lamb shoulder chops that had been dry rubbed with salt, sugar, cumin, and oregano two hours before cooking.

 Turn using tongs.

Here is the finished product. A little char on the outside.  Medium rare inside. No grill to clean.

These turned out nice and juicy.  Nancy really liked them.  Since I have a whole bag of the hardwood chunks I'll do this again with a rib steak hiding in the freezer.  I might even try a 7 bone chuck  pot roast if I can find one

Braised lamb shanks with mustard and mint

There is an aphorism that a good workman never blames his tools. On the other hand, good tools make any job easier.  Cooking shows often tout the utility and results of a heavy enameled cast iron dutch oven. French versions can and do cost hundreds of dollars.  Lodge makes one that is much less.  I found a "used" one at the Amazon warehouse for about $44.  There are lots of sizes, but this was 4.5 quarts.  That is a good size  for two or four  people.  Seven quarts of beans is too much, even for me.


I picked lamb shanks for the first try.  I started with one pound shanks.  Two just fit into the bottom for browning.

Procedure:

•  Brown the shanks, remove to a plate.
• Add a mirepoix (one onion, one celery stalk, one carrot).  Cook until  the veggies are soft.
• Return shanks to pan,  nestled into the mirepoix
• Add a braising liquid of about 1/2 cup wine, 1/2 cup water, and 1 heaping tablespoon of mustard.
• Top shanks with sprouts of fresh mint (now appearing in the garden).
• Cover pot and place in a 285 degree oven for 3 hours.

• Add sweet potato quarters and additional water if necessary.  (Do not let the pot go dry)
• Cook an additional 45 to 60 minutes.

To make a sauce/gravy remove shanks to a plate and cover to keep warm. Drain braising liquid in to a container.


 Let fat rise to the top (adding an ice cube will speed up the process). Drain fat and use an immersion blender to puree vegetables and broth.