My mom and I visited my sister in Dubai, she requested lamb shank. After shopping for a slow cooker and the ingredients, we returned late but made it back just in time for dinner, where my brother-in-law treated us to big souvlaki.

“Ras el hanout is a North African spice blend known as “head of the shop,” indicating it includes premium spices. It offers a warm and earthy flavour from various ground spices, providing health benefits such as aiding digestion with cumin, ginger, and cardamom, reducing inflammation with turmeric and ginger, and protecting against oxidative stress due to plant polyphenols from cloves, cinnamon, and allspice.”

“A lamb shank is a tough cut from the lower leg that requires long, slow cooking to become tender. It helps build muscle, provides heme iron for energy, supports the nervous system and red blood cell creation, boosts immunity, and aids joint and skin health through gelatin from the bone marrow and connective tissue.”

“Dried rose petals, rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, and polyphenols, are utilized in herbal teas, skincare, and cooking for their calming effects, digestive support, and muscle tension relief. They help alleviate anxiety, promote relaxation, and offer gentle relief from bloating and PMS-related symptoms.”

“A cinnamon stick is the dried inner bark of the Cinnamomum tree, used whole to flavour drinks and dishes. It is rich in polyphenols, improving insulin sensitivity and potentially lowering blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglycerides. It contains compounds that reduce inflammation and combat certain bacteria and fungi. Note: Common Cinnamon is darker, harder, and has a stronger flavour, with high coumarin levels that can be harmful in large amounts.”

Glad that the meat fall-apart tender, flavourful and delicious. Let’s slow cook!!!

Ingredients

10 dried figs, whole and slit open
6 lamb shanks
6 cloves garlic, minced
4 carrots, cut into chunks
4 potatoes, cut into chunks
2 canned of 400 g crushed tomatoes
1 brown onion, diced
1 cinnamon stick
250 ml beef stock
250 ml red wine
100 ml port
2–3 Tbs Ras el hanout spice blend
1 Tbs balsamic vinegar glaze or balsamic vinegar or sherry vinegar
oil
salt
cracked black pepper
a pinch or two rose petal, about 1/2 Tsp or 1 Tsp

Method

Combine 2 Tbs oil, salt, cracked black pepper, and 2 Tbs ras el hanout in a bowl. Wear gloves to rub this mixture into the lamb, massaging well to cover entirely. I marinade them for 6 hours in the fridge. Note: from one of the recipe; I had browsed saying marinade overnight (8 to 12 hours) for deeper flavour penetration. Because this is an oil-and-spice paste rather than an acidic marinade, it will not chemically “cook” or mush the meat over extended times.

After 6 hours, from another recipe saying: wipe off any loose, thick clumps of dry spices before searing so they do not scorch and turn bitter in the pan. Another recipe saying: Let lamb shanks sit at room temperature for 30 minutes after removing them from the fridge so they sear evenly. Wash and dry the slow cooker pot.

After 30 minutes time up, heat a large heavy-based saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add a splash of oil and lamb shanks and cook until browned on all sides for 5 minutes; I had added another 2 minutes to build a rich crust before braising. Transfer to a plate and set aside. I added 1 Tbs more oil to cook onion and garlic in the same heavy-based saucepan for 2 minutes, then add them to the slow cooker.

Now add in carrots, and potatoes at the bottom of the slow cooker. Place the browned shanks on top of the vegetables. Sprinkle the remaining 1 Tbs ras el hanout evenly over the browned lamb shanks and vegetables. Scatter the dried figs all around lamb shanks and vegetables. Now add in 1 cinnamon stick.

Pour in crushed tomatoes, beef stock, red wine, port, and balsamic vinegar glazed. From another recipe saying: to bring liquid up to halfway or two-thirds up the sides of the shanks (leaving the top 1/3 exposed). Next scatter 1/2 Tsp rose petal all over the sauce, lamb shanks and vegetables. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours until the meat fall-apart tender. Serve with bread and a glass of red wine. Enjoy!!!

https://helenscchin.com/2016/08/15/lamb-shanks-and-vegetables-slow-cooker/

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