Asian Stewed Lamb Shanks

So it's a week night and for some strange reason I've got some thawed Lamb Shanks from North Park Produce sitting in the frig. So what to do? Well it's time to bust out the pressure cooker and throw something together. I decided to make some Asian inspired stewed Lamb Shanks.

Started at 5 pm, dinner on the table at 645pm. I think the pressure cooker done paid for itself.

Asian Style Stewed Lamb Shanks

3 - 1-1 1/2lb Lamb Shanks
8 Cups Chicken Stock
1/2 Cup Red Wine
1/2 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Soy Sauce
2 Onions skinned and sliced in half
8 Cloves of Garlic smashed
2 - 3" fingers of ginger smashed
5 Stalks of Green Onion - white portion only
1-2 Star Anise

1/3 Cup Cilantro Chopped
Salt & Black Pepper to Taste

1 - Brown lamb shanks in a pan
2 - While shanks are browning, mix together sugar and soy sauce
3 - Place browned lamb shanks in pressure cooker and add all ingredients.
4 - After checking the cooking chart from Lorna Sass's Pressure Cooker Cookbook Pressure Perfect; I cooked on high pressure for 30 minutes with a 15 minute natural release, followed by a quick release.
5 - Remove shanks to a plate and strain and defat(if desired) "stock". Season the stock with salt and pepper to taste.
6 - You may want to thicken the stock(with a cornstarch slurry), or reduce it. Or do as we did, divide the stock in half. Reduce one half for a sauce. To the other half we added Bean Thread (and would have added tofu, but for some reason I didn't have any handy), and with some shredded shank meat made Lamb Long Rice. If you love the flavor of lamb, it's delici-yoso!!!

Notes: I followed the cooking chart in Pressure Perfect, and found that the lamb shanks were almost too soft. I'll probably cut down the cooking time a bit next time around. To be perfectly honest, we enjoyed the stock even more then the lamb.

Comments

[clare eats]

MMM Lamb

Lamb is BIG here in OZ. I hve the biggest urge to go buy a leg'o'lamb right now mmmm

[Passionate Eater]

Whoo-hoo!! You used the pressure cooker! Props to my mmm-yoso man Kirk! Looks delicious, you always win me over with your home-cooked meals!

[Jean]

Hubby loves lamb shanks! Must give this recipe a try.

[Lynnea]

Wow! That looks delicious! I've been craving a yummy lamb dish for a while. I wonder how long it would take to cook without using a pressure cooker?

[lance]

Looks so delicious. Must taste so ono. I see you're using your pressure cooker often now. Great job Kirk!!! No more fears of explosion.

[Kirk]

Hi Clare - Lamb is big here in Mi Casa as well! mmmm-leg of lamb!

Hi PE - Thanks. This was really simple and easy. And the pressure cooker has paid for itself.

Hi Jean - Give it a shot and let me know how it turns out.

Hi Lynnea - Welcome! And thanks for taking the time out to comment. Maybe initially double the cook time, and work from there?

Hi Lance - Maybe only a slight fear......Nah, it's really easy, but there's always that little voice in the back of my head!

[Kristy]

Hey Kirk...Yup. My next trip out to SD will be sometime this summer. =) I'll give you a heads up when I drive down. Also...pressure cookers intimidate me. I don't like big explosions. muhahah.

[howie]

Ah, lamb shanks are one of my absolute favorites! These look delicious! Almost like Niu Rou Mein.

[amanda]

Oh wow! this looks awesome. Lamb really is my favorite meat (even though i know it's SO unhealthy)! I've never eaten lamb cooked with in an asian style before though. I would love to try it. Great blog!

[Kirk]

Hi Kristy - Look forward to it. I think (emphasis on "think") that these new generation pressure cookers are pretty safe, I hope.....

Hi Howie - Funny, the broth tasted like the Lamb Hot Pot at Jamillah Garden, wish I had some tofu.....I think the broth tasted better then the lamb shank!

Hi Amanda - Lamb is so very delicious. I'm sure if you make it, it'll put mine to shame!

[mizducky]

Yum--that looks excellent, Kirk. Lamb really does seem to take to pressure-cooking, I think. I once did a pressure-cooked lamb shank curry that I wrote up for eGullet (writeup here: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=62608&view=findpost&p=863546). Next time I buy some lamb on sale, I really need to try your recipe--I just adore the flavor and aroma of star anise. :-)

[Reid]

Hi Kirk,

I don't often eat lamb, but this sounds great. I'll have to try it using the pressure cooker sometime.

[Colleen Cuisine]

Hey Kirk - I can't believe you made that... it looks like something from a restaurant! One of these days I'll get a pressure cooker - that dish looks delicious.

[Kirk]

Hi mizducky - That looks very good.

Hi Reid - The pressure cooker sure cuts down on the cooking time.

Hi Colleen - Geez, it's only a hunk of meat and bone on a pile of rice! It did taste really good, though!