Slow-Cooked Lamb Shanks in Red Wine

This is the dish that turns a cold Sunday into something to look forward to. Lamb shanks are full of collagen that breaks down into the silkiest, richest sauce after a long, gentle braise - and almost nothing else in the kitchen rewards your patience the same way.

Serves 4. Prep 15 min. Cook 3 hours.

What you'll need

• 4 Morpeth Butchery lamb shanks
• 2 brown onions, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 sticks celery, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 500ml dry red wine
• 500ml beef or lamb stock
• 2 tins crushed tomatoes (400g each)
• 3 bay leaves, a sprig of rosemary, a few thyme sprigs
• Olive oil, salt, pepper

Method

1. Preheat oven to 150?C. Pat the shanks dry, season generously with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil in a heavy oven-safe pot over high heat. Brown the shanks in batches until deeply coloured all over, about 3-4 min per side. Set aside.
3. Drop the heat to medium. Add the onion, carrot and celery to the same pot - the brown bits stuck to the bottom are flavour. Cook for 8-10 min until softened.
4. Add the garlic and tomato paste, cook 1 min more.
5. Pour in the wine, scraping up any stuck bits. Reduce by half (about 5 min), then add the stock, tomatoes and herbs.
6. Return the shanks to the pot, making sure they're mostly covered. Bring to a simmer, then cover and transfer to the oven.
7. Braise for 2.5-3 hours, until the meat is sliding off the bone. Check at 2.5 hours.
8. Remove the shanks. Skim any excess fat off the sauce. Reduce on the stove if needed.

To serve

Creamy mash potato, soft polenta, or buttered orzo - whatever you're using to mop up the sauce. A simple green salad on the side. Gremolata (parsley, lemon zest, garlic) sprinkled over the top lifts the whole thing.

Even better the next day. Just sayin'.