Lamb Shanks in Guinness with Country Vegetables recipe

5 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 lamb shanks (about 6 pounds total)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
5 cups chopped onions
4 cups beef broth
2 (12 ounce) bottles Guinness stout
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 large parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 rutabagas, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

Season lamb shanks with salt and pepper. Coat lamb with flour and shake off excess; reserve remaining flour.

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add lamb to pot in batches and brown well; transfer with tongs to a bowl. Reduce heat to medium and add the onions to the pot. Sauté the onions until translucent, scraping up any browned bits of lamb, about 5 minutes.

Add reserved flour and cook, stirring for about 1 minute.

Return lamb shanks and any accumulated juices to the pot. Add beef broth and the Guinness; cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until meat is almost tender, about 1 hour.

Add carrots, parsnips and rutabagas to pot and simmer, uncovered, until meat and vegetables are tender and stew thickens slightly, about 40 minutes.

Spoon fat from surface of stew and serve.

This can be prepared one day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Skim off any congealed fat from the surface and rewarm over low heat before serving.