Savory Braised Lamb Shanks Recipes

LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Prepare Lamb: Pat lamb shanks dry with paper towels. Generously season all sides with salt and pepper.
• Brown Lamb: Add olive oil and butter to large pot (Note 5) over medium heat, stirring until butter is melted, less than a minute. Add shanks to pot in single layer and cook for about 5 minutes until bottom side is nicely browned. Flip and repeat with other side for about 4 minutes. Transfer only shanks to large bowl, leaving fat in pot.
• Add Aromatics: Add carrots, celery, onions, and garlic to same pot. Stirring occasionally, cook until softened, a few minutes. Carefully add red wine, and loosen any brown bits stuck to bottom of pot. Add water, crushed tomatoes, peas, and cocoa powder, stirring together for a minute.
• Slow Cook Lamb: Return lamb shanks to pot in single layer, partially submerged. Increase heat and bring to gentle boil. Cover with lid, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until meat is very tender and easily falls off bone (Note 6), about 2.5 hours, adding water if pot appears dry during cooking.
• Serve: Uncover, and transfer shanks to serving dishes. If remaining liquid in pot is thin and watery, boil uncovered until thickened to a sauce. Skim off fat, if desired. Pour sauce over shanks, top with parsley, and serve (Notes 7-8).

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• In a large skillet, brown lamb in oil; remove and set aside. Add the onion and garlic; saute until tender. Stir in flour; cook and stir for 1 minute. Add bouillon and water; stir to dissolve. , Return lamb to pan. Add remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours or until meat is tender.

SAVORY BRAISED LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Place beans in a 4-quart saucepan and cover with cold water. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Remove pan from heat, cover, and allow to stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Drain and set beans aside.
• In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, paprika, salt, and pepper. Dredge the lamb shanks in the flour mixture, shaking off excess.
• In an 8-quart Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Brown lamb thoroughly on all sides. Remove from pan, cover, and set aside.
• Pour off fat from saucepan and heat remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Add onion and sauté until softened and lightly browned -- 5 to 7 minutes. Add 3 cloves garlic, beef broth, chicken broth, 1 cup red wine, tomato paste, bay leaves, rosemary, and sage. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes. Add reserved beans and lamb. Cover and cook for 1 1/2 hours.
• Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup wine and the carrots. Cook until carrots are tender -- about 30 minutes. In a small bowl combine remaining 2 cloves chopped garlic, parsley, and lemon rind.
• To serve, divide beans among 4 serving plates. Top with lamb; garnish with parsley-lemon mixture.

BRAISED LAMB SHANK

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Season lamb with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet and sear the lamb shanks over high heat on all sides until well browned, about 6 minutes. Remove the shanks and place in an oven-proof casserole. To the skillet add the diced vegetables and saute for 3 to 4 minutes.
• When the vegetables have begun to cook and wilt, add garlic, sachet of herbs and tomato paste and combine. Add the wine and beef broth and bring to a boil. Pour the boiling liquid-vegetable mixture over the shanks in the casserole and braise, covered, in the oven for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
• The lamb should be fork tender, with the meat just beginning to separate from the bone. Serve with the pan juices, vegetables, toasted polenta and sprinkle generously with the rosemary and thyme.

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or deep ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and season with 2 teaspoons salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and just beginning to brown, about 20 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste, mix well and cook until the tomato paste darkens, about 3 minutes.
• Salt and pepper the lamb shanks and lay them in a single layer, over the vegetables in the Dutch oven. Add enough stock to surround but not cover the shanks and bring to a simmer. Transfer to the oven. Braise the shanks, uncovered, turning every 30 minutes or so, until the meat is fork tender, about 2 hours. (The meat will brown during the final stages of braising.) Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for about 15 minutes to allow the fat to rise to the surface of the sauce. Transfer the meat to a plate.
• Skim the fat from the surface of the braising liquid. Strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing down on the vegetables with a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the vegetables. Degrease the sauce again if necessary and return to the Dutch oven. Simmer the sauce until reduced by about half. Return the shanks to the sauce, and warm gently over low heat. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a warm serving dish and serve.