Lamb Shank Aspic – Homemade Lamb Terrine with Pickled Vegetables

2026-10-17 17:34

A delicious homemade lamb shank aspic with tender slow-cooked lamb, carrots, pickled gherkins and peppers, set in a lightly seasoned, tangy meat jelly. A traditional-style cold-cut terrine that is surprisingly easy to prepare at home.

Lamb in Aspic
Lamb in Aspic

This homemade lamb aspic is prepared with slowly cooked lamb shanks, carrots, pickled gherkins and peppers, all held together in a lightly seasoned, tangy meat jelly.
Lamb shanks are particularly suitable because slow cooking produces tender, flavourful meat and a rich stock containing natural collagen. However, depending on the amount of liquid and the cooking process, additional gelatin may still be needed to achieve a firm, sliceable result.
The combination of tender lamb, aromatic broth and lightly acidic vegetables makes this an excellent cold-cut terrine, served with crusty bread, mustard or a simple salad.

Dieter’s Tip

Lamb shanks contain plenty of connective tissue, but that does not guarantee that the finished stock will set firmly enough for a sliceable aspic. The amount of water, cooking time and degree of reduction all affect the final result.

Before assembling the terrine, test a small amount of chilled stock. If it does not set firmly enough, adding a little unflavoured gelatin is a perfectly practical solution. In my batch, I used 10 g gelatin powder with 400 ml reduced lamb stock, which gave me the result I wanted.

Recipe

Tender, slow-cooked lamb shank meat combined with diced carrots, pickled gherkins and peppers, set in a lightly seasoned lamb stock with a touch of white wine vinegar. The result is a flavourful, firm and sliceable aspic terrine, perfect for serving cold with fresh bread, mustard or a simple salad.

Recipe Overview

Difficulty
Intermediate
Yield
1000 g
Category
Charcuterie
Region
German

Equipment Needed

Large cooking pot Fine sieve Knife and chopping board Small saucepan Loaf tin Small plate or ramekin for testing the stock

Ingredients

Meat and Fat

  • 1400 g Lamb Shanks

Seasoning

  • 10 g Salt — For Cooking Stock
  • 1 tsp Black Pepper Corns — For Cooking Stock
  • 2 tsp Mustard Seeds — For Cooking Stock
  • 4 pcs Bayleaf — For Cooking Stock
  • 1 g White Pepper — For the Sülze
  • 1 g Black Pepper — For the Sülze
  • 1 g Sugar — For the Sülze

Fresh Additions

  • 2 pcs Onion — For Cooking Stock
  • 2 pcs Carrot — For Cooking Stock
  • 1 pcs Carrot — For the Sülze
  • 40 g Pickled Gherkins — For the Sülze
  • 40 g Pickled Peppers — For the Sülze

Liquids

  • 2000 ml Water — For Cooking Stock
  • 400 ml Reduced Lamb Stock — For the Sülze
  • 30 ml White Wine Vinegar — For the Sülze

Additional Ingredients

  • 10 g Gelatine Powder — For the Sülze (Optional if it doesn't set with natural gelatine)

Method

Preparation

  1. Roughly chop the onions and one of the carrots.

Cooking

  1. Put the lamb shanks in a large cooking pot and add enough water to cover the meat.
  2. Bring the water gradually up to temperature and then cook the lamb shanks gently at approximately 85–90°C (185–194°F).
  3. While the water is heating up skim of any foam from the top.
  4. If no more foam appears add all ingredients market with "For Cooking Stock".
  5. Cook gently at 85–90°C (185–194°F) for 3 to 3.5 hours.
  6. While your shanks are cooking prepare the other ingredients marked "For the Sülze". Dice the pickled gherkins and pickled peppers in 5 to 7 mm pieces.

Processing

  1. Remove the lamb shanks from the liquid and let them cool just enough to handle.
  2. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine sieve and start gently reducing it. For the final product you will need about 400 - 500 ml.
  3. Meanwhile remove the bones, connecting tissue and remaining fat from the shanks.
  4. Cut the lean meat in to 1.5 to 2 cm cubes.
  5. Take the saved whole carrot from the cooking stock and dice it into 5 - 7 mm pieces and mix together with the diced gherkins and peppers under the meat cubes.
  6. While your stock is reducing, take a table spoon out on a plate and put into the fridge for at least 10 to 15 minutes. If it sets and doesn't drip of the plate the stock is reduced enough and contains sufficient gelatin to finish the sülze.
  7. If the previous step is not satisfactory, continue reducing the stock and repeat the test until you are satisfied with the result or your stock is reduced to about 500 ml. If your test at this point does not form a sufficient gelatin you need to add some gelatin powder and repeat the test until you are satisfied with the result.
  8. Just before removing from the heat add the dry spices marked with "For the Sülze" to the reduced stock. Taste the stock and add salt to taste and if needed a bit more vinegar. It should taste slightly over-spiced. It will loose as it cools down in the finished product.

Finishing

  1. Slightly wet the loaf tin and add a small amount of reduced stock just to cover the bottom of the tin. Refrigerate until the stock starts to set.
  2. Add some of the most attractive pieces of meat on the bottom of the tin. This is forms the visible top when unmould.
  3. Add some of the most attractive pieces of meat on the bottom of the tin. This is forms the visible top when unmould.
  4. Add the rest of the meat-carrot-gherkin-pepper-mix on top.
  5. Fill in the still warm (NOT hot), seasoned, reduced stock until all the meat is covered. Slightly tap the loaf tin to let possible trapped air escape.

Resting

  1. Refrigerate until the gelatin is firmly set. Best over night.
  2. To unmould run a thin knife carefully around the edge. Dip the outside of the loaf tin briefly in warm water, just a few seconds, and invert it onto a board or serving plate.

Additional Guidance

Cooking Notes

To release the natural gelatin slow cooking at 85–90°C (185–194°F) and time is the important part of it. Rather keep it at 85° and 3.5 hours than substitute time with a higher temperature.

Resting and Cooling

Best keep in the fridge over night so everything sets properly.

Storage

Refrigerated at 4° or below 4 to 5 days. You can store it longer frozen but it is not recommended. It will loose on quality after defrosting.

Serving Suggestions

Lamb Terrine is traditionally served cold. It is excellent with fried or boiled potatoes, rustic bread, pickles and mustard. A little additional vinegar or a simple vinaigrette also works particularly well with the rich lamb and cool aspic. For a German-style meal, serve generous slices of Sülze alongside potatoes and a crisp salad.

Additional Notes

Before adding commercial gelatin, test the stock. Place approximately one tablespoon of the reduced stock on a cold plate or in a small ramekin and refrigerate it for around 10–15 minutes. If it becomes a firm jelly when cold, the stock already contains enough natural gelatin and there is no reason to add commercial gelatin. If it remains very soft or almost liquid, return the stock to the saucepan, reduce it a little further and test it again.

Sausage Specifications

Freezer Friendly No
Tags: charcuterie diy sausages gelatin aspic homemade charcuterie homemade lamb brawn homemade sausages lamb aspic lamb cold cuts lamb jelly lamb shank aspic lamb shank recipe lamb sülze lamb terrine meat in aspik meat jelly recipe pickled vegetables aspic traditional aspic

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