Slow-Cooked Shanks with Cranberry Jus

 

Slow-cooked Shank with Cranberry Jus. Delicious juicy shanks are divine and can be slow cooked in many ways and with many different flavor approaches.  This recipe is a red wine-based marinade with herby aromatics to add depth of flavor, with the cranberry jus and an aromatic white spirit complimenting the meat beautifully.  Always use the cheapest red wine you can find such as rebottled clean skin, cask, bulk or store brands. Note the vegetables used in the marinade are not subsequently eaten so no need to be fussy when cutting them up. 

For 4 servings: 

Ingredients

Marinade

Lean shanks enough for 4 people

1 bottle dry red wine (cheapest)

1-2 cups vegetable stock to help cover the meat

1 onion, peeled and sliced

1 celery stick and tops, sliced

1-2 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 tablespoon juniper berries

Fresh springs of rosemary

2-3 bay leaves

1 tablespoon duck fat or pork lard

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper

Jus

1 cup of the cooked red wine marinade

500gm jar cranberry or red current sauce 

1 semi-heaped dessertspoon plain flour

2 tablespoons white aromatic liquor (eg: gin, grappa, vermouth)

Method

To marinate the meat:

Place the shanks into a large bowl or the ceramic dish of a slow cooker. Add red wine, stock, vegetables, aromatics, fat, oil, salt and pepper and stir to mix around the meat.  Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours, baste occasionally and turn the meat pieces over every 6-8 hours or so.

Cook the shanks in the marinade in the slow cooker on low for 8-10 hours, or on high for 6-8 hours if time is short (lower and longer is better).

To make the jus:

Heat a small saucepan on low and add the cranberry sauce, 1 cup of strained cooked meat marinade, and the white aromatic liquor.  Gently whisk together and bring to a simmer for a few minutes.  In a small bowl mix the flour to a paste with a little bit of cold water, pressing out any lumps.  Add the paste to the saucepan and slowly whisk. simmer for 1-2 minutes.  The objective is to achieve a thin gravy consistency, not a thick floury sauce.

Cranberry Jus

To serve:

Remove the meat from the cooking liquid.  The liquid can be discarded once the jus is made.  Serve with potato of your choice and steamed vegetables. 

Variations:

This marinade can be used to casserole any cut of lean red stewing meat.  About an hour toward the end of cooking, strain the cooked marinade liquid to remove the stock vegetables and herbs, and return meat to the crock pot.  Add the cranberry sauce and liquor with enough flour or corn flour (maize flour) to thicken the liquid to gravy consistency.  Serve with potatoes and steamed vegetables