Sunday, October 5, 2025

Garlic Rosemary Lamb Shanks

These garlic rosemary lamb shanks simmer in a slow cooker with beef stock, red wine and onions until they are so meltingly tender that you won’t need a knife! Carrots and potatoes cooked with the shanks round out the meal. 

Food Lust People Love: These garlic rosemary lamb shanks simmer in a slow cooker with beef stock, red wine and onions until they are so meltingly tender that you won’t need a knife! Carrots and potatoes cooked with the shanks round out the meal.

Years ago, I was watching a Nigella Lawson program where she was roasting a lamb shank for one. That’s a cut I had never bought but, like everything she does, Nigella made it look so easy. 

I promptly forgot about it until I found a large shank (big enough for two) in my local grocery store and I made my purchase. Just like Nigella said, it roasted beautifully! You can see that recipe here. (It’s one I posted in my first six months of blogging before I learned a little more about photography. I leave those posts up because it’s part of the journey and, honestly, pretty photos or not, the food is delicious.) 

Ever since, I almost always have a couple of lamb shanks in the freezer, just in case. On cold and windy days, slow cooker garlic rosemary lamb shanks with potatoes and carrots are a warming hearty meal.

Garlic Rosemary Lamb Shanks

Sometimes I remove the lamb, carrots and potatoes and thicken the broth to make gravy and sometimes I serve it au jus, not thickened. I’ve included the instructions for making gravy but either way, this is a delicious meal. The longer you can leave the lamb to marinate, up to 24 hours, the better. This feeds two generously, with leftovers.

Ingredients
2 lamb shanks
Fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Leaves from 2-3 sprigs rosemary, plus a little extra for garnish, if desired
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for slow cooker
2 medium onions, peeled and sliced
1 3/4 cup or 414ml beef stock
1 cup or 240ml dry red wine
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut in chunks
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in chunks

To thicken the gravy:
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons cold water

Method
Score the lamb shanks with a sharp knife then season the shanks with salt and pepper all over, rubbing it in with your clean hands. 


Mince the garlic and rosemary leaves, discarding the stems. Sprinkle on the garlic and rosemary, massaging them in as well. 


Place both lamb shanks is a Ziploc bag, then pour the cider vinegar and olive oil over them. Seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Chill for up to 24 hours. 


When you think about it, give the lamb bag a massage ot two and turn it over during the marinating time. 

Drizzle olive oil to coat the bottom of the slow cooker, then line it with the onion slices.


Add in your lamb shanks and any marinade from the bag, along with the beef stock and red wine.


Cook on high for 2 hours then switch to low for 2 hours or until the meat is tender. 

When the lamb has one more hour, add in the carrots and potatoes, tucking them as much as possible in the cooking liquid.


When the time is up, check the lamb with a fork. If it goes in really easily, the lamb is tender. If not, set your timer for another 30 minutes or so.  

When the lamb shanks are done, remove them along with the carrots and potatoes from the slow cooker and cover all to keep warm. 

 

Switch the slow cooker to high again. 

Mix the cornstarch into the cold water then add the mixture to the slow cooker, stirring well. Cook until thickened slightly. The result is a lovely rich onion gravy.


Serve the lamb, carrots and potatoes with the savory gravy, garnished with a little chopped rosemary, if desired.

Food Lust People Love: These garlic rosemary lamb shanks simmer in a slow cooker with beef stock, red wine and onions until they are so meltingly tender that you won’t need a knife! Carrots and potatoes cooked with the shanks round out the meal.

Enjoy!

It’s Sunday FunDay and our theme today is Crocktober, aka recipes made in a slow cooker or cooked long and slow in an oven or on stovetop. Many thanks to our host Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm and Camilla of Culinary Cam

 
We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.



Pin these Garlic Rosemary Lamb Shanks!

Food Lust People Love: These garlic rosemary lamb shanks simmer in a slow cooker with beef stock, red wine and onions until they are so meltingly tender that you won’t need a knife! Carrots and potatoes cooked with the shanks round out the meal.

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Monday, September 29, 2025

Double Chocolate Guinness Muffins #MuffinMonday

The deep flavor of stout enhances the chocolate in these rich double chocolate Guinness muffins baked with cocoa and lots of semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Food Lust People Love: The deep flavor of stout enhances the chocolate in these rich double chocolate Guinness muffins baked with cocoa and lots of semi-sweet chocolate chips.

I’ve been on a bit of a savory muffin kick lately but our younger daughter is here to visit so I decided I’d go sweet this month. I bought a 500ml bottle of Guinness Extra Stout for these muffins but also ended up using it for marinated chicken thighs and then the balance in a steak pie at her request. 

All three turned out beautifully and now I need to keep Guinness on hand all the time. You know, just in case. 

Double Chocolate Guinness Muffins

As mentioned above and indicated by the title, I used Guinness Extra Stout for this recipe but you can absolutely substitute your favorite stout. This recipe makes 12 regular sized muffins, chock full of chocolate chips. This recipe is adapted from one on Floating Kitchen.

Ingredients
1 3/4 cups or 219g all-purpose flour
3/4 cups or 150g golden caster sugar (Sub white if that's what you have)
1/4 cup or 20g cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup or 113g, butter, melted and cooled, plus extra for buttering pan, if needed
1/2 cup or 120ml Guinness stout beer
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups or 300g semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided

Method
Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners or brush with melted butter. (Or if you have silicone muffin cups, use them. I love mine which were a gift from my daughter.) Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.


In another mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, Guinness and eggs until well combined.


Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold.


Set aside a generous handful of the chocolate chips to sprinkle on top then fold the rest into the batter. 


Divide the batter evenly between the 12 cups of your prepared muffin pan. Top with the reserved chocolate chips. 


Bake in your preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 


Allow the muffins to cool in their pan for about 10 minutes, then remove and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy! 

Food Lust People Love: The deep flavor of stout enhances the chocolate in these rich double chocolate Guinness muffins baked with cocoa and lots of semi-sweet chocolate chips.

It’s the last Monday of the month which means it’s Muffin Monday time! Check out all the lovely muffins my baker friends are sharing. 

#MuffinMonday is a group of muffin loving bakers who get together once a month to bake muffins. You can see all of our lovely muffins by following our Pinterest board. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about Muffin Monday can be found on our home page. 



Pin these Double Chocolate Guinness Muffins!

Food Lust People Love: The deep flavor of stout enhances the chocolate in these rich double chocolate Guinness muffins baked with cocoa and lots of semi-sweet chocolate chips.

.

Sunday, September 28, 2025

Spicy Guinness Marinated Chicken Thighs

Tender, juicy and flavorful, these spicy Guinness marinated chicken thighs tick all the savory boxes for a perfectly delicious prep-ahead main course.

Food Lust People Love: Tender, juicy and flavorful, these spicy Guinness marinated chicken thighs tick all the savory boxes for a perfectly delicious prep-ahead main course.

Yes, this is my second chicken thigh recipe in a row. What can I say but right after wings – my favorite part of a chicken – thighs come in a very close second. They are meaty and stay juicy, even if slightly overcooked, something I cannot say for chicken breasts. I'm always afraid of drying those out!

I made this recipe with Guinness stout to celebrate National Drink a Beer Day which I am celebrating with my Sunday FunDay blogger friends. Make sure you scroll down to see links to the recipes everyone else is sharing. 

Spicy Guinness Marinated Chicken Thighs

I used Guinness for this recipe but you can substitute your favorite stout or dark beer. I happened to have a bottle open because I was baking double chocolate Guinness muffins for Muffin Monday. (Check back for that recipe tomorrow!) This recipe is adapted from one on Domestic Fits.

Ingredients  
1 small shallot
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup or 60ml olive oil, plus extra to oil baking pan
1/2 cup or 120ml Guinness Extra Stout Beer
1/4 cup or 60ml balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons chili powder (spice mix, not cayenne)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon MSG (monosodium glutamate)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
8 bone-in, skin on chicken thighs


Method
Purée the shallot and garlic with the olive oil in a small food processor.


Add that mixture to a gallon bag along with the dry spices and sugar.


Add in the Guinness, Worcestershire sauce and vinegar. Seal the bag and massage it until the sugar and salt have dissolved and the spices are well mixed. 
 

Add the chicken. Press the air out of the bag and seal so that the chicken is well coated with marinade. 


Marinate for at least 2 hours, or overnight, chilled in the refrigerator. 

When you are ready to cook the chicken, remove the bag from the refrigerator and preheat your oven to 375°F or 190°C. Oil a large baking pan with olive oil. 

Remove the chicken from marinade and put it in the baking pan, skin side up. 


Bake for 45 minutes or until golden and cooked through. 

Pour the marinade in a small pot and gently bring it to the boil. 


Keep it at a low boil for at least 10 minutes, then cook to reduce the liquid by half. 

Use the cooked marinade to baste the chicken regularly as it bakes. 


Remove from the oven and serve warm with any remaining cooked marinade on the side as a sauce. Garnish with chopped green onions, if desired. 

Food Lust People Love: Tender, juicy and flavorful, these spicy Guinness marinated chicken thighs tick all the savory boxes for a perfectly delicious prep-ahead main course.

Enjoy! 

It’s Sunday FunDay and as I mentioned above, we are celebrating National Drink a Beer Day. Check out the links below.

 
We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.



Pin these Spicy Guinness Marinated Chicken Thighs!

Food Lust People Love: Tender, juicy and flavorful, these spicy Guinness marinated chicken thighs tick all the savory boxes for a perfectly delicious prep-ahead main course.

.