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Overhead view of a lamb shank served on top of couscous on a black plate.
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Sous Vide Lamb Shanks

Sous Vide Lamb Shanks are slow cooked for 48 hours until tender and juicy, with warming spices, preserved lemons and pomegranate molasses.
Course Dinner
Cuisine Middle Eastern
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 days 5 minutes
Total Time 2 days 25 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 125kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Heat a sous vide water bath to 145F degrees.
  • Rub the salt all over the lamb shanks.
  • Combine the lamb with remaining ingredients (except mint and 3 tablespoons reserved pomegranate molasses) in a vacuum seal bag and seal.
  • Cook for 48 hours. Remove lamb from bag and pour the bag juice in a saucepan.
  • Simmer the bag juice for 3-5 minutes, skimming it if needed.
  • Heat a skillet on medium high heat and add 1 tablespoon avocado or coconut oil. Sear the lamb shanks for about 30 seconds per side.
  • Serve over couscous drizzled with pomegranate molasses and sprinkled with fresh mint.

Pomegranate molasses:

  • In a saucepan, combine 4 cups pomegranate juice (pure 100% juice) and ½ cup fresh lemon juice.
  • Simmer on low heat for about 1 hour, or until the liquid coats the back of a spoon. (It will continue to get thicker as it cools, so don't cook too much).

Notes

  1. When sealing the lamb shanks in the bag, make sure air is properly removed from the bag so bacteria doesn’t get in.
  2. Over the 48 hours of cooking, the bag may start to fill with air and float. Just open the bag, release the air and seal it again. 
  3. For safe and even cooking, the bag should be fully submerged in the water bath. To help prevent floating, you can weigh the bag down with something heavy like a sous vide sinker weight.
  4. Since the lamb is cooking for 48 hours, you’ll need to check the water level occasionally. If it looks like it’s evaporating, just add more water. Or cover the water bath with a lid or foil to help prevent evaporation.
  5. To get the best sear, make sure the skillet is hot and pat the lamb shanks dry with paper towels after they come out of the water bath. 
  6. When reverse searing the lamb, only do so for about 30 seconds per side. Any longer and it may overcook and dry out.

Nutrition

Serving: 6ounces | Calories: 125kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 1818mg | Potassium: 232mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 3IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 2mg