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*)

Jim-

Thanks for posting your results (you were looking for lamb recipes the other day, right?) I may need to give this a try.

Cheers,
Rich

Ive been looking for somthing on slow cooked lamb for about 4 mounths. There aint much posted on the web. This meat can definitly take and I think needs to be cooked low and slow. Other than the low meat output ( I can get them pretty cheap and cook alot of them at ounce)it seems well suited to BBQ.
Jim

Jim,

Do you think this recipe would work OK on a butterflied leg of lamb?

Don
The flavorings (marinade) do work fine on leg or shish kabobs (its based on my grandfathers so my family has been doing this for 50 some years).
I would not cook a leg to anywear close to 195*
Its a better cut and should really only be cooked medium -medium rare (135-145*) It will dry out if you over cook it ( doesnt have enough fat and collegen to render).

Thanks! I've cooked many legs in a variety of grill and oven ways, but I have wanted to smoke one for some time. Like you, I couldn't find much information.

You have given me the encouragement I needed!

We love shanks-lamb or veal but have never tried them on the cooker. Good idea! Thanks