Jim Piesik
TVWBB Fan
I cooked 3 domestic lamb shanks each weighed about 1#. They were cooked after marinating for 24 hours and injecting with the same basic marinade. I smoked the shanks at between 240 -250*. After 2 1/2 hours,I then rapped one in foil and added about a 1/2 cup of apple juice and I sealed it and then returned to the smoker. I moped the other to shanks and would mope them again at 4 hours . The meat was checked after that every 45 minutes with visual and tactile tests for doneness. I inserted meat thermometers in two of the shanks ( one foiled and one not).
I took the foiled one off at 188* ( the meat had really pulled away from the ends) after 4
hours. The other ones (not foiled) were taken off after about 5 hr 10 minutes. The meat on these were not pulled away from the bone ends as much but the muscles were beginning to split open in spots (just a little). The temps on these were 197* and 199* . I wrapped these and let every thing rest for another 45 minutes before ripping them apart and eating them.
Results: The one foiled and braised did not pull away from the bone very well. It was fairly moist but didn't have enough smoky flavor. The other two (not braised ) were very good. The muscles came of the bone pretty easy, very moist, smoky and tender. They also had a good bark on the outside. My wife in a blind taste test was amazed at how well that meat turned out (said a Big Difference).
Additional info : each shank yielded about 6-8 oz of meat and dispite the acidy and long marinade had a 1/4 " smokering. I used cherry wood.
My recipe:
3 lamb shanks
For Marinade:
6 cloves crushed garlic
6 oz. red wine
1 tsp. rosemary
1tsp. black pepper
1tsp kosher Salt
2 bay leaves
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
Rub meat with garlic then add ingredients and marinate for 24 hr turning
meat after 10 -12 hours.
Injection:
1/3 cup of red wine
1 once olive oil
1 once vinegar
1 tsp rosemary 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp crushed garlic
left in frige for 2 days, then strained for use.
Smoke with apple or cherry wood at 225-250F for 5 hours, or until tender.
(195-200*)
I took the foiled one off at 188* ( the meat had really pulled away from the ends) after 4
hours. The other ones (not foiled) were taken off after about 5 hr 10 minutes. The meat on these were not pulled away from the bone ends as much but the muscles were beginning to split open in spots (just a little). The temps on these were 197* and 199* . I wrapped these and let every thing rest for another 45 minutes before ripping them apart and eating them.
Results: The one foiled and braised did not pull away from the bone very well. It was fairly moist but didn't have enough smoky flavor. The other two (not braised ) were very good. The muscles came of the bone pretty easy, very moist, smoky and tender. They also had a good bark on the outside. My wife in a blind taste test was amazed at how well that meat turned out (said a Big Difference).
Additional info : each shank yielded about 6-8 oz of meat and dispite the acidy and long marinade had a 1/4 " smokering. I used cherry wood.
My recipe:
3 lamb shanks
For Marinade:
6 cloves crushed garlic
6 oz. red wine
1 tsp. rosemary
1tsp. black pepper
1tsp kosher Salt
2 bay leaves
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
Rub meat with garlic then add ingredients and marinate for 24 hr turning
meat after 10 -12 hours.
Injection:
1/3 cup of red wine
1 once olive oil
1 once vinegar
1 tsp rosemary 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp crushed garlic
left in frige for 2 days, then strained for use.
Smoke with apple or cherry wood at 225-250F for 5 hours, or until tender.
(195-200*)
