Lamb Shanks
- Total Time
- 3 hours 30 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
Advertisement
Ingredients
- 1tablespoon vegetable oil
- 4lamb shanks, ½ pound each
- 1onion, peeled and chopped
- 2cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1cup red wine
- 3ribs celery, and cut into large dice
- 3carrots, peeled and cut into large dice
- 2anchovy fillets
- 2cups tomato puree
- 2cups chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
- 1bay leaf
- 1tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- ½teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- ½teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1cup minced parsley leaves
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
595 calories; 31 grams fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 14 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 26 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 12 grams sugars; 42 grams protein; 971 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered by
Preparation
- Step 1
Heat the oil in a heavy-bottom saucepan. Add the lamb shanks and sear over medium heat until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Remove and set aside. Add the onion and the garlic. Saute until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the wine, increase the heat to high and simmer until reduced to ½ cup, about 5 minutes.
- Step 2
Add the remaining ingredients, except the parsley. Stir to combine. Return the shanks to the saucepan. Partly cover and simmer over medium-low heat until the meat falls off the bone, about 3 hours. Remove the bay leaf. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide the shanks among 4 plates. Ladle the sauce over each shank. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately with white bean puree (recipe below).
Private Notes
Comments
I'm guessing this recipe uses cross-cut lamb shanks. I haven't seen full shanks as small as 1/2 lb. Also, there isn't enough liquid in the recipe to cover 4 whole shanks. I added more wine and chicken stock to nearly get the shanks covered. Turned out great. I also ran the sauce through a fat separator after cooking. Not a great deal of fat, but it did help.
I changed the sequence to a more traditional braising technique: sear the shanks, set them aside then slowly sauté the diced carrot, onion, and celery for about 20 minutes or until the onion caramelizes. Then add the garlic, anchovies, tomato purée (no purée on hand so used tomato paste), bay leaf, and thyme until they made a heavenly aroma. Placed the shanks on top of this and added the liquids to just cover the shanks. I think this gets a bit more depth out of the mirepoix veggies.
Excellent basic recipe. My lamb shanks were larger too. I was cooking for two. One shank was .80 lb and the other 1.20 lbs. I took off as much fat as I could. Followed step 1, doubling the onions. For step 2, I used left-over marinara sauce with all the vegetables etc., plus fennel. I brought it all to a boil on the stove, covered the pot with parchment and then the lid, and put in the oven for about 3 hours at 350. Absolutely delicious. I served it with the white bean puree.
When this recipe was published — early-to-mid 1980s — half pound lamb shanks were the norm. I’ve been enjoying this dish at least once a year since then. Yes, it’s worth searching for the white bean purée recipe!
A real treat. For the two of us, I used one 1 lb plus shank and halved the recipe for the rest of the ingredients except the anchovy fillets of which I used two. It is impossible to find 1/2 lb shanks in the regular stores. Otherwise, the only change I made to the recipe was to use beef broth instead of chicken broth. Cooking for 2 hrs and 15 minutes produced falling off the bone meat. I served it over egg noodles, covered with the delicious sauce. It was very little work for a great result.
I changed the sequence to a more traditional braising technique: sear the shanks, set them aside then slowly sauté the diced carrot, onion, and celery for about 20 minutes or until the onion caramelizes. Then add the garlic, anchovies, tomato purée (no purée on hand so used tomato paste), bay leaf, and thyme until they made a heavenly aroma. Placed the shanks on top of this and added the liquids to just cover the shanks. I think this gets a bit more depth out of the mirepoix veggies.