Wee Beastie Lamb Shanks

I’m excited to share My Weberi Kamado Grill Wee Beastie Lamb Shanks with you. This is a perfect holiday meal and even if you aren’t as lucky as I was to be gifted with a Weberi Kamado Grill, it’s not too late to spoil yourself for this Christmas. At these exceptionally great prices direct from the importer to you, you’d be silly not to take up this wonderful opportunity.

My Weberi arrived on 17th of November, my lucky number by the way. I was very excited but also a little nervous. It was like a new baby for me. I wanted to take the best care of it and cook up a storm in it, but I had never cooked in one before and my visions were illuminary but my skills were zero. I thought I’d see just how intuitive I could be with him. I want to say, I was wrong about that one. When one prepares for a new baby, one spends months reading and getting knowledgable before the arrival. I thought, how difficult can it be, light a fire and start cooking? I’m not the fire starter in the family, that’s Brian’s portfolio. He stood back this time and allowed me to learn.

The first thing I did was light a fire to get him christened so to speak. I had nothing to cook that day, but wanted to light a fire to get to know temperatures and how long the fire would burn for. Day I done and I went excitedly into day 2. By this time Brian was calling it the Dragon, Puff for short, and I was calling him the Wee Beastie. I decided to make lamb shanks. They will now forever be known as Wee Beastie Lamb Shanks. My Mom had gifted us with a pot bread from Woolies so I decided to practice with that too. My Wee Beastie Lamb Shanks were a great success but I burnt the bread. I was getting to know the Wee Beastie a little better and I was also realising that I should have jumped onto pinterest to find out a few tips and tricks. This was my first lesson in indirect heat. Never mind! I said to myself, it’s all part of the learning curve.

Thanks to Wikipedia “The kamado was invented in China, spread to Korea, and eventually made its way to Japan. The name kamado is the Japanese word for “stove” or “cooking range”. It means a “place for the cauldron”. Kamado grills originated in China about 3000 years ago. The ceramic oven has excellent heat retaining properties too. I know I’ll get better skilled as I go along, but for now don’t get bogged down with the history lesson. Get started. Experiential learning is the best way I learn. I’ve had fun with gammon and chicken as well as a beef curry potjie and I plan on a whole lot of other recipes.

Wee Beastie Lamb Shank

Ingredients

• 2 + 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 80 g unsalted butter (cold)
• 3 sprigs of fresh sage
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 4 + 8 cloves garlic
• 2 large carrots diced
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 1 leek finely chopped
• 4 quality lamb shanks
• olive oil
• 250 ml white wine

Sides

• 4 baked potatoes
• 1 greek salad

Instructions

• Heat soak the Weberi Grill for 1 hour levelling off the temperature at about 180ºC – 150℃. Use large chunks of hardwood charcoal. We really like the Etosha brand. There must be no artificial binders or chemicals in the charcoal or briquettes you use as this will be absorbed by the ceramic oven.
• Pick the leaves from 2 sprigs of rosemary and add to the food processor, add the butter, most of the sage and strip in the thyme. Season with sea salt and black pepper, then whiz together to form a paste.
  2 + 4 sprigs fresh rosemary, 80 g unsalted butter, 3 sprigs of fresh sage, 2 sprigs fresh thyme, 4 + 8 cloves garlic
• Peel and finely dice the carrots, onion and leek.
  2 large carrots diced, 1 onion finely chopped, 1 leek finely chopped
• Tear off four x 30cm pieces of baking paper and tin foil placing the foil down first and the baking paper on top. This will create 4 separate parcels individually wrapped ready for the Weberi Grill
• See photos for this step – Turn the lamb shanks over and locate the bone that runs through the shank. Use your fingers to locate a pocket between the muscles. This is a perfect place to stuff the herb butter. Turn the shank back into the upright position and run your fingers down the shank bone to create another pocket again stuffing with the herb butter. Do this to all the shanks and divide the flavoured butter between them, pushing it into the pockets – this will give a wonderful flavour to the heart of the shanks. If there is a little left over rub that on the outside of the shanks.
  4 quality lamb shanks
• Divide the rest of the garlic and carrots, onion and leek mix between the 4 baking paper sheet, making a pile in the middle of each square. Season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper , then put one on top of each pile of veg, with a sprig of rosemary and a few sage leaves.
• Carefully pull up the sides of the baking paper and foil and pour a swig of wine into each. Gather the foil around the bones, pinching together tightly (any excess foil can be torn or cut off with scissors).
  olive oil, 250 ml white wine
• Place the foil parcels on the grill with the bones facing up, then roast for 2½ hours, or until the meat is meltingly tender. After about 1 hour add potatoes wraped in foil dressed in butter, olive oil and salt and pepper. Serve the shank parcels with a greek salad and baked potatoes.
  4 baked potatoes, 1 greek salad

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Greek inspired

Keyword: lamb shank