You may remember last year's
lamb shank adventure where I broke my countertop with 48 hours of heating from a sous vide vessel.
Well, Passover approaches again, and so again I'm making tasty lamb shanks more than a week ahead of time. Why so early? For one, I do a demo seder for the confirmation class at St Pauls UCC every year the Sunday before Pesach (SueF is head of the Youth Education committee, so I get volunteered) -- and this year it's a week earlier than that, since the following Sunday is Easter.
So the last time I was in H-Mart, I bought a very meaty lamb shank, with more than just the usual skinny shanky muscles (soleus?) -- it had a small fist-sized knob barely hanging on (probably gastrocnemius). Delicious. Tossed it in the freezer without rewrapping (shameful, but it was only a few days).
When I thawed it out, I flipped it out of the foam tray, and found that the shank bone had been sliced through in about six places, miraculously barely cutting any meat at all. But that makes a pretty stupid-looking sacrificial lamb bone -- what, am I going to thread them on a string? Whose idea was this? I realize I'll get more marrow and flavor in the sauce, but, but, no lamb shank bone.
Being March 17th, I looked for Irish lamb stews. Some called for beer of several varieties including an ale. Others called for bacon... hey wait, I've got this bottle of
Maple Bacon Ale someone gave me as a gift. That would be perfect! (note, I am aware of the sacreligiosity of using pork on the passover sacrifice. I don't really care)
I tasted it: not liking beer much at all, I'm no expert, but this stuff reminded me of a hoppy version of what's left in the water pan after a long cook on my Weber Smoky Mountain: more ashtray than bacon (it contains smoked malted barley as well as applewood bacon)... but I was hopeful the ashy flavor would get tamed by cooking. After BTB/RTS (thanks, Anne Burrell, for that shortcut) it was still rather hoppy-bitter (a little sugar, a pinch more salt), but not too smoky. I was worried a half-hour later when the kitchen smelled like my WSM, but apparently those flavors are rather volatile, as the finished dish has very little smoke flavor at all -- quite rich, with tender meat and near-pureed veg. I plan on serving tonight, reheated and simmered with some potatoes.
Sacrificial Sacrilege StewServes 2
1 Meaty lamb shank
Flour, salt and pepper
2 Tbs olive oil
2 carrots, cut into coins
2 short stalks celery, cut into thin moons
1 medium onion
1.5 cups diced mushroom
2 tbs tomato paste
Bacon Maple Ale to cover to 3/4 height of the shank
1/2 tsp Thyme
2 bay leaves
Preheat oven to 350F
Remove as much silverskin from the shank as possible. It's not really possible, but the thought counts.
Dust with flour, sprinkle salt and pepper
Heat oil in a dutch oven on high
Brown the meat on all sides, about 2 minutes per side
Remove the meat to a platter, add the celery, carrot and onion to the pan and turn the heat to medium. Cook until softened. Add the tomato paste and stir until it coats everything, about a minute. It may darken somewhat.
Add the mushrooms and cook another 2 minutes.
Add the Thyme and Bay, then return the meat to the pan. Add enough ale to bring it up to about 3/4 the height of the meat.
Bring to Boil, then reduce heat and taste, adjusting for salt and perhaps sugar (about 1 tsp)
Place in oven for two hours. The sauce may have reduced a bit much, dilute with water or stock or it may be a little salty. Serve.
What is patriotism, but the love of good things we ate in our childhood?
-- Lin Yutang