Two things that used to intimidate me: braising and cooking lamb.
And then I learned that braising and cooking lamb are some of the easiest things ever. Lamb is a tougher cut of meat that requires a long simmer time. I like to call it a “set it and forget it dish”. Set it in the oven, and now you’re free to do dishes and relax. (Disclaimer: Don’t leave your house while the oven is on.)
There are so many amazing recipes out there that just require searing the meat, cooking a few vegetables, and tossing it all together with spices and broth. Simmer for an hour or two and it’s done! It doesn’t get any easier.
You will need a dutch oven or oven safe pot. Another great thing about this recipe is that the searing, vegetable cooking, and braising are all done in one pot. Any one pot meal is at the top of the list in my book!
I like to serve this dish with mashed potatoes. I admit it’s more of a winter meal. But who doesn’t need a good helping of mashed potatoes any time of the year?
Recipe Note
The original recipe I used called for 6 lamb shanks. I guess the lambs at my local grocery store were more like teenage lambs because they were massive. Two shanks were all I could barely squeeze in the pot. However, if the lamb shanks that you find are smaller, feel free to use as many that will comfortably fit in the pot.
You will be using a few herbs in this dish: parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme. You can either put them in a spice sachet, tie them with twine, or just throw them in. I just threw them in. I don’t really mind fishing out stalky herbs later.
Braised Lamb Shank
Ingredients
- 2 lamb shanks*
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
- 4 sprigs rosemary
- 4 tablespoons parsley, roughly chopped
- 4 tablespoons sage, roughly chopped
- 4 tablespoons thyme, roughly chopped
- 1 cup red wine
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Season lamb shanks with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add lamb and sear until golden, about 4 minutes per side. You may need to work in batches. Remove lamb and set aside.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the onion and carrots and cook until soft, about 4 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Then add the tomato paste and and stir to combine.
- Pour in broth and tomato sauce, then return lamb shanks to the pot. Combine the rosemary, parsley, sage, and thyme in a spice bag or tie them together with twine. Or let them hang out in the pot and risk eating pieces of herb (that's what I did). Add the spices to the pot. Bring to a boil. Cover and transfer to oven.
- Cook until lamb shanks are tender, about 2 hours. Taste the cooking broth halfway through and add salt if necessary. Do not over salt because the broth will be slightly reduced later.
- Remove lamb from pot and discard spices.
- Place the pot on the stove. Add wine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer uncovered until thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons butter.
- Serve lamb with mashed potatoes. Drink the rest of the leftover wine.
