Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks with Pearl Barley

This delicious stew made with lamb shanks and pearl barley comforting on the tastebuds too,  For mininmal fuss there is a recipe using a slow cooker too.

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Serves: 4 people

Ingredients

  • 4 lean lamb shanks
  • 2 tablespoons rapeseed or olive oil
  • 1 onion, peeled and sliced
  • 500g baby carrots, tops removed or 4 medium carrots, peeled and roughly sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
  • 2 large sprigs fresh rosemary leaves, roughly chopped
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 x 568ml bottle sweet cider
  • 600ml good, hot lamb stock
  • 150g pearl barley
  • 1 tablespoon runny honey
  • 280g marrow (deseeded) or courgettes, roughly chopped

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a large flame/heatproof casserole dish with a lid, season the lamb and cook for 2-3 minutes until the lamb are brown all over.  Remove and set aside.

  2. Preheat the oven to 170°C, 150°C, Fan, Gas Mark 3.

  3. In the same pan add the onion, carrots, garlic and herbs.  Cook gently for a few minutes until lightly coloured.  Add the cider, stock, barley and honey.

  4. Return the lamb shanks to the dish, cover and transfer to the oven and cook for 2 hours.

  5. Remove from the oven and add the marrow or courgettes.  Stir gently, cover and return to the oven and continue to cook for a further 30 minutes.

  6. Serve with herb mash.

Tips:

This recipe works well on the hob too. A slow cooker version is available.