Pinto beans and Lamb Shank
Pinto beans and Lamb Shank
This unique recipe and its accompaniments are delicious. Easy to make and a healthy treat. your have to prep and be ready to give it time for it to be just right.
Servings 4 people
Ingredients
- 1 pound Dried pinto beans
- 1 lamb shank with meat still meat on it
- ½ pound of trimmings fat, skin or goat meat
- 1 small onion whole
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- These are southern style beans which are not a snack or a side, but the main course. If you want to prepare for a side, use fraction of the meat suggested here.Put the beans in a large platter or bowl and carefully pick through the beans to remove any discolored or shriveled ones, or grit or trash, as in a traditional way. It may just be a ritual now than anything else. With the advanced milling process the beans are mostly clearer.
- Cover the beans with water by two inches and let them soak for at least 2 hours. Some people insist on soaking overnight which could leave them mushy in cooking.
- Using a sharp knife trim fat and skin from outside of the shank. Don’t be concerned if some lean comes out because you are not going to discard, but to have it slowly melt into the dish bolstering the flavors. The trimming will render the fat even if they are cut smaller, but the skin may have to be cut into smaller pieces.
- Once you have prepared the shank and beans are soaked, you are ready to cook. In a large pot, combine the beans, Shank and trimmed meat. Cover with abut 2 inches of water and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium, or medium low.
- Peel a small garlic clove and the small onion but leave them whole and add them to the pot with the salt and the sugar. Cover with a lid and keep checking every 15 minutes to stir gently and turn the shank. You do not want the beans to disintegrate or cream.
- Reduce the heat after about an hour and continue to simmer for another hour or so but stir on an off to prevent the beans from sticking. If you must add water as it cooks out, add a little at a time if you don’t want to drown it in water.
