Cooking with beer is not only fun and delicious, but it'll also make you look like a bad ass because beer is a bad-ass ingredient right up there with bacon and chocolate. I've brought you recipes and beer reviews but I've yet to explain how they affect each other during cooking nor have I focused on the symbiotic taste relationship that results in a flavor orgasm. Beer provides richness and a depth of flavor to braised meats like this kick-ass Flintstone-looking lamb shank I'm servin' up today.

Lamb is such a flavorful meat and shanks are a cheap cut. The shank is near the hoof of the animal and contains locomotive muscles that can be tough if it isn't cooked for a long time. The connective tissue in the shank breaks down and makes the sauce succulent and glossy.

Arrogant Bastard Ale, with a dark and medium body and a stiff head, is a beer I've had many times and enjoy revisiting, especially this week, because it lends such a rich flavor to the lamb and it's just a great beer. Its arrogance comes from its intense flavor and smiling demon on the cover touting, "You can't handle it," but the incredibly strong hops and sweet malt make this beer's bite bigger than its bark.

I'm using the beer like wine is used in an osso bucco, a dish made with a good red and veal shank. Here, the ale, combined with vegetables and stocks, add lots of flavor and help break down rough, sinewy meat.

Ingredients:
2 lamb shanks
Salt
Black pepper
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 small onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 cup Arrogant Bastard Ale
2 cups beef stock
1 Tbsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. cornstarch

Season the lamb shanks heavily with salt and pepper. In a large, deep pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the canola oil and sear the lamb shanks on all sides. When brown and crusty all around, remove from the pan and add the onion, celery and carrot. Saute for 10 to 15 minutes or until vegetables are brown and caramelized. Add in the tomato paste and saute another five minutes. Add the beer, boil and reduce until almost dry, approximately seven minutes. When the beer and vegetables have thickened, add the stock and dried thyme. Add the lamb shanks back to the pot, cover and simmer for two hours.

While the lamb shanks are braising you could drink the rest of your Arrogant Bastard Ale. By the way, it's going to smell awesome. With the house perfumed with lamb and beer, you'll be counting down the minutes until you can tear into that meat. The thing I like best about this dish is that you can just pick it up by the exposed bone and munch like a Viking or caveman.

After the two hours, carefully take out the lamb shanks, making sure they don't fall apart. Whisk in a teaspoon of corn starch to the sauce and simmer for two minutes before blending to a smooth sauce.