Salt Bush Lamb - Shanks
Saltbush Lamb Shanks
Raised by Ben Sippel · Narromine, NSW
Winter in a pot.
Out past Dubbo, Ben's lambs graze Old Man Saltbush. It's a tough native shrub his family started planting back in 1987, with roots that reach metres down for water when everything else has dried up. The lambs eat well through the dry years, and the paddocks hold their topsoil.
Shanks need time, and they're worth it. They're full of collagen and connective tissue, so a few hours of slow braising turns them silky and sticky, and the meat slides off the bone with a nudge of your fork. The bone gives the sauce a richness you can't fake. Serve one per person with something to soak up every drop.
Every pack you buy supports a family that has spent nearly forty years proving the land can work with farmers instead of against them.
How to cook it: Dust the shanks in seasoned flour and brown them well. Add onion, garlic, carrot, celery, a splash of red wine, tinned tomatoes, stock and rosemary. Cover and cook at 160°C for 3 hours, until the meat is falling off the bone. Take the lid off for the last 30 minutes to thicken the sauce.
Pairs with: creamy polenta or buttery mash, gremolata on top, and a glass of red.
Characteristic
Rich, deeply savoury lamb, gently salty, melt-in-your-mouth tender with a clean finish
❄ Frozen
