Sous Vide Lamb Shank Confit

This tender, flavorful sous vide lamb shank confit is definitely worth the wait — 72 hours to be exact. Don’t fret about the prep time; 24 hours of the 25 is the lamb curing in the fridge.NOTE: When you’re cooking something for this long, be sure to check the water level in your pot from time to time. You’ll most likely lose some to evaporation and you need to keep enough water in your vessel to keep your Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker running. We’ve found that covering it with plastic wrap or foil really helps with water loss.

Author

Emily Farris and Jeff Akin

Emily Farris and Jeff Akin are the co-founders of Feed Me Creative, a former culinary creative agency in Kansas City, MO.

Prep Time: 25:00

Recipe Time: 48:00

Temperature : 150F / 65.6C

Ingredients

• 2 bone-in lamb shanks (about 2 pounds)
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
• 1/2 cup duck fat
• 2 dried bay leaves

Directions

1. Rub the lamb with the thyme, salt, and peppercorns. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
2. Set the Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker to 150°F (65.6°C).
3. Remove the lamb from the refrigerator. Rinse off the salt mixture and pat dry. Place in a large zipper lock or vacuum seal bag with the duck fat and bay leaves. Seal the bag using the water immersion technique or a vacuum sealer on the moist setting.
4. Place the bag in the water bath and set the timer for 48 hours. Cover the water bath with plastic wrap or foil to minimize water evaporation. Add water intermittently to keep the lamb submerged.

Finishing Steps -- Serving Immediately

1. When the timer goes off, remove the bag from the water bath. Remove the lamb from the bag and pat dry. Discard any cooking liquid.
2. Shred the lamb into bite-sized pieces. Discard bones and excess fat. Serve.

Finishing Steps -- Serving Later

1. When the timer goes off, remove the bag from the water bath and immediately transfer to an ice bath. When cool, refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
2. When ready to serve, set the Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker to 150°F (65.6°C). Place the bag in the water bath and set the timer for 30 minutes.
3. When the timer goes off, remove the bag from the water bath. Remove the lamb from the bag and pat dry. Discard any cooking liquid.
4. Shred the lamb into bite-sized pieces. Discard bones and excess fat. Serve.