Herb Marinated Braised Lamb Shanks
Submitted by happyzhangbo
Herb-marinated braised lamb shanks: shanks rubbed with cumin, coriander, curry, and rosemary, then oven-braised fall-off-the-bone tender with carrots, potatoes, and zucchini in a rich gravy. A one-pot showpiece dinner.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
6 hrsREADY
6⅓ hrsThis is a dinner-party-worthy braise that does most of its work unattended in the oven. Meaty lamb shanks get a fragrant rub of cumin, coriander, curry powder, thyme, and rosemary in olive oil, then marinate for hours so those warm spices and herbs sink deep into the meat before it ever hits the heat.
Searing the marinated shanks builds a deep brown crust, then they braise low and slow in chicken broth with smashed garlic until the meat is meltingly tender and pulling from the bone. There’s no rushing a shank; the long, gentle braise is exactly what breaks down all that tough connective tissue into silky richness.
The genius is that it becomes a full meal in one pot. Once the lamb is tender, carrots, potatoes, and zucchini simmer right in the flavorful braising liquid, added in stages so each finishes perfectly tender, not mushy. Then the braising liquid is turned into a proper gravy with a quick flour-and-tomato-paste roux. Shred the lamb off the bones if you like, fold everything back together, and you’ve got a rich, deeply spiced, fall-apart feast. Make it a day ahead and it only gets better.
Pro Tips
- Marinate the shanks at least 4 hours, ideally overnight. The spice oil needs time to penetrate the meat.
- Sear the shanks well before braising. That brown crust is the foundation of the dish’s flavor.
- Add the vegetables in stages by cook time (carrots first, zucchini last) so each is tender, not mushy.
- Make it a day ahead. The flavor deepens overnight, and it’s easy to skim the fat once chilled.
Variations
- Use beef short ribs or oxtail in place of lamb shanks.
- Swap in parsnips, turnips, or pearl onions among the vegetables.
- Add a splash of red wine to the braising liquid for extra depth.
Ingredients
Directions
Stir together in a small bowl the ground cumin, coriander, thyme, rosemary, curry powder, and salt.
Mix in ¼ cup olive oil.
Place lamb shanks in large freezer bag.
Add the spice oil to the bag.
Rub spice oil all over shanks.
Press the air out of the bag and seal the bag.
Place in a dish to catch any leakage.
Marinate 4 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in heavy large ovenproof pot over high heat.
Remove lamb shanks from marinade bag and place in heated pan.
Discard remaining marinade.
Cook lamb shanks until brown on all sides, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes.
Add stock and garlic; bring to boil, cover and transfer to oven.
Cook 1 hour; remove from oven and turn lamb shanks over.
Cover and continue cooking until lamb is tender, about 45 minutes longer.
Bring liquid in pot to simmer over medium heat.
Add carrots; simmer 10 minutes.
Add potatoes to liquid and simmer 5 minutes longer.
Add tomatoes and zucchini to liquid and simmer until vegetables are just tender, about 5 minutes.
Using slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to platter with lamb.
Spoon off fat from braising liquid, reserving 1 tablespoon.
Heat reserved fat in heavy large skillet over medium heat.
(If there is no fat, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil instead.) Whisk in flour; stir 2 minutes.
Whisk in tomato paste and 1 cup of the braising liquid.
Add back into the pot with the rest of the braising liquid.
Boil for a couple minutes until slightly thickened.
Add back the vegetables and the lamb shanks.
If you want, use a couple forks to break away the lamb meat from the bones.
Discard the bones.
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