Greek Lamb Or Venison Shank Recipes

GREEK LAMB OR VENISON SHANK

Steps:

• In a large Dutch oven or other heavy, lidded pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Salt the shanks, then brown them well on all sides except the one with the bone; this helps the shanks hold together better. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
• When the shanks are nicely browned, remove them to a bowl. Add the carrots, onion and celery and sauté until slightly browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic cloves and cook another minute, stirring often. If you are cooking lamb shanks, leave the vegetables in. If you are cooking deer or other wild game shanks, remove the vegetables.
• Add the tomato paste, wine, thyme and oregano to the pot. Mix well, and once it thickens, add a cup of water and mix well. Add the venison shanks back in now, along with any juice that has accumulated in the bowl. Cover with more water by just a little, bring to a simmer and add salt to taste. Cover the pot and let this cook in the oven for 90 minutes.
• At this point, lamb shanks will be done. Deer shanks will still need some time, but you can add back the vegetables now. Keep cooking until the meat wants to fall off the bone, anywhere from another 30 minutes to another 2 hours. It's wild game, so you never know...
• When the meat is tender, remove it gently to an ovenproof pan, along with all the vegetables. Turn off the oven and set this pan in the oven to keep warm. Set the pot on a strong burner and boil down the braising liquid. This will take roughly 20 to 30 minutes, so now is a good moment to make rice or mashed potatoes.
• When the sauce has reduced and thickened a bit, turn off the heat. When it stops, bubbling, add the cold butter a tablespoon at a time, swirling until it disappears. Use this as your sauce for the shanks and vegetables. Top it all with fresh herbs and black pepper.

GARLIC LOVERS' GREEK LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Trim most visible fat from shanks.
• Cut slits 1/2" wide and deep all over shanks, as many as possible.
• Stuff garlic cloves into slits, lengthening or deepening them as needed.
• Drizzle or rub extra virgin olive oil over shanks, trying to get the oil into the slits with the garlic.
• (Recipe may be made in advance to this point. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day) Put shanks in a broiler-safe pan (I use a low rack in a pyrex dish) and broil on both sides until meat sizzles and browns, about 6- 7 minutes per side.
• Remove shanks from oven, and turn it down to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Pour red wine over shanks, and distribute 1 T each mint and oregano over both sides of each shank.
• Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
• Cover pan with aluminum foil, return to oven, and bake for approximately 2 to 2 1/2 hours, basting every 40 minutes or so.
• When done, you can pour drippings into small pan and boil until slightly thickened while lamb rests, to serve alongside.

GREEK-STYLE LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• In a 8-quart Dutch oven, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat, Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt on lamb shanks. Cook lamb shanks, 2 at a time, until browned on all sides. Remove shanks to a bowl as they brown.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In drippings in Dutch oven, cook onions and carrots until tender and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, cook 2 minutes.
• Return lamb shanks to Dutch oven. Add tomatoes with their juice, chicken broth, and 3/4 teaspoon salt; heat to boiling over high heat. Cover Dutch oven and bake 1 1/2 hours. Turn lamb shanks over; add potatoes and green beans. Cover and bake 1 1/4 hours longer or until lamb and potatoes are tender.
• Meanwhile, from lemons, grate 1 tablespoon peel and squeeze 2 tablespoons juice.
• When lamb shanks are done, skim fat from sauce. Stir in lemon peel, lemon juice, dill, and parsley.