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Braised
Lamb Shanks
How to cook hearty slow-braised lamb shanks that are falling-off-the-bones good. Braised in a red wine and tomato sauce, these lamb shanks have plenty of time to get tender and utterly infused with wonderful flavors. You'll look like you've slaved all afternoon, but with this simple recipe, all you need is a little preplanning to cook a heart-warming, stomach-filling family dinner.
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Servings: 6
Prep Time: 45 mins
Ready In: 3.5 hrs
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• 6 lamb shanks, french trimmed*
• 1 head garlic, top cut off exposing cloves
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 14.5-oz can crushed tomatoes , fire-roasted
• 2 carrots, sliced into large rounds
• 1 potato, peeled, cut into large chunks
• 2 TBSP double-concentrated tomato paste
• 1 TBSP brown sugar
• 2 bay leaves, dried
• 2 cups red wine, cabernet sauvingon
• 1 cup beef stock
• 2 sprigs rosemary, fresh
• 1 tsp oregano, dried
• 1 1/2 TBSP salt
• 1 tsp black pepper , fresh coarsely cracked
• 1 TBSP vegetable oil
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- Using 1 TBSP of oil, heat a dutch oven
 (or an oven-safe pan with lid) on stove top over medium high heat. Brown lamb shanks on all sides sprinkling lightly with salt and pepper. Remove shanks from pan and set aside covered to keep warm.
(Some of you may want to skip this step, but don't if you want really flavorful lamb shanks. Searing the meat first adds complex flavors you don't get by just throwing it straight into the oven.)
- Add onion to hot pan. Lower heat to medium. Saute until translucent and slightly browned, about 6 minutes. This process will lend a sweet, smoky flavor to the sauce.
- Adjust oven rack to lower middle position. Preheat oven to 325° F.
- Add beef stock, red wine, tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, bay leaves, oregano, and remaining salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Nestle lamb shanks into dutch oven. Nestle head of garlic into center. Add rosemary, scattering evenly. Cover dutch oven with lid. Bring to boil, then turn off stove.
- Transfer covered dutch oven into preheated oven. Set timer for 1 hour.
- After 1 hour, add potatoes and carrots and return to oven. Set timer for 1 more hour.
- After cooking for 2 hours total, return dutch oven to stove top. Remove lamb shanks, potatoes and carrots, keeping them covered to keep warm. Skim off excess fat in remaining sauce.
- Simmer sauce on low heat without lid to reduce, about 15 minutes. Stir occassionally. Return lamb shanks, potatoes, and carrots into sauce. Cover with lid and reheat lamb shanks in reduced sauce for another 5 minutes. Turn off stove.
- Serve hot. Goes great with polenta, sweet peas, and a glass of red wine. Enjoy!
* French trimmed is simply trimming away tough tendons about 1 inch from bottom of narrow end of lamb shank, leaving bare bone. Makes for easier eating and prettier presentation.
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