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Rioja-braised lamb shank with chorizo and garlic on a blue and white patterned dinner plate, with a bowl of mashed potatoes and small jug of sauce on the side.
5 from 1 vote

Rioja-braised Lamb Shanks with Chorizo and Garlic

By: Deborah
This Rioja-braised lamb shanks with chorizo and garlic recipe features tender, slow cooked lamb, smoky chorizo, and rich Rioja wine in a deeply flavourful sauce. Perfect for special occasions or cosy dinners!
PREP: 15 minutes
COOK: 3 hours 20 minutes
TOTAL: 3 hours 35 minutes
Course: Main
Cuisine: Spanish
Servings: 4 people
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Equipment

Ingredients

  • 4 lamb shanks (weighing approx. 350g each)
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • vegetable oil for cooking
  • 350 ml (1 ½ cups) Rioja or 350ml good quality beef stock
  • 250 ml (1 ¼ cups) good quality balsamic vinegar (see Notes)
  • 1 whole bulb of garlic cut in half horizontally
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 to 2 tsp paprika or to taste
  • a few black peppercorns
  • 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary
  • 300 ml (1 ⅓ cups) beef stock
  • 125 g (4.4 oz) chorizo sausage (from a chorizo ring) cut into slices (approx 0.5cm thick)
  • 1 large red onion peeled and cut into wedges
  • 2 carrots peeled and sliced on the diagonal

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3. Season the lamb well with salt and pepper.   Add a little oil to a large frying pan over a high heat.   Turn down the heat slightly and brown the lamb shanks all over (approx. 4 to 5 minutes), then set aside.
  • In a casserole pot with lid, pour in the wine and balsamic vinegar and bring to the boil. Boil for 5 minutes then add the browned lamb shanks, garlic, bay leaves, paprika, peppercorns, half the rosemary and stock.   Place the pan over a high heat, cover with the lid and bring it to the boil.   As soon as it is boiling, take the pan off the heat, place it in the oven and cook for 2 hours.
  • Remove the pan from the oven and add the chorizo, onion, carrots, and the rest of the rosemary, then return to the oven and cook for another hour, or until the meat is almost falling off the bone and you can pull it away from the bone with little effort.
  • Scoop the lamb and vegetables out of the pan with a slotted spoon and keep warm. Leave a few garlic cloves if you want to intensify the flavour of the sauce.   For a thicker sauce put the pan back on the heat and bring to the boil.   Boil it fiercely for about 8 to 10 minutes until it is the right thickness, then leave to cool slightly.   Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
  • Serve the lamb and vegetables with smooth creamy mashed potatoes and extra sides, if you wish, along with lots of the lamb shank sauce…oh and a glass of Rioja - enjoy!!

Notes

  • Balsamic vinegar - if you're using a less expensive kind, just use 100ml of it, plus 150ml beef stock or Rioja.
  • No pork option - replace the chorizo with smoked turkey sausage or leave it out entirely for a pork-free version.
  • This Rioja-braised lamb shanks with chorizo and garlic recipe is easily halved if you're cooking for 2.

 

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Nutrition

Calories: 354kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 99mg | Sodium: 317mg | Potassium: 857mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 5378IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

KEYWORDS comfort food, date night, Home Cooking Made Easy, lamb shank recipe, Lorraine Pascale, slow cooked lamb recipe, special dinner, Valentine's meal, winter warmer
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