Slow-Roasted Lamb Shanks (Printable version)

Tender lamb shanks slow-cooked with herbs, garlic, and vegetables for a rich, festive meal.

# Needed ingredients:

→ Meats

01 - 4 lamb shanks (approx. 12.3-14.1 oz each), trimmed of excess fat

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
03 - 2 celery stalks, cut into chunks
04 - 1 large onion, sliced
05 - 4 garlic cloves, smashed

→ Aromatics & Herbs

06 - 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
07 - 3 sprigs fresh thyme
08 - 2 bay leaves

→ Liquids

09 - 2 cups beef or lamb stock (gluten-free if required)
10 - 1 cup dry red wine
11 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Seasonings

12 - 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
13 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# How to make it:

01 - Set oven temperature to 320°F.
02 - Pat lamb shanks dry and season generously with kosher salt and black pepper.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown lamb shanks on all sides, about 8 minutes. Remove and set aside.
04 - Add onions, carrots, celery, and garlic to the pot and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until softened.
05 - Return lamb shanks to the pot and add rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves.
06 - Pour in red wine and stock; bring to a simmer while scraping browned bits from the bottom.
07 - Cover tightly and transfer pot to oven. Roast for 2 ½ to 3 hours, turning lamb once midway, until meat is tender and falling off the bone.
08 - Transfer lamb and vegetables to a serving dish. Skim excess fat from sauce and reduce on stovetop if needed to thicken. Spoon sauce over lamb and serve warm.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The meat becomes impossibly tender after slow roasting, practically melting without any effort.
  • Your kitchen will smell like a cozy Mediterranean bistro for hours.
  • It looks fancy enough for guests but requires almost no hands on time once it goes in the oven.
  • The sauce becomes deeply flavored from all those browned bits and herbs mingling together.
02 -
  • Do not skip the searing step, that caramelized crust is where half the flavor lives and it makes the sauce infinitely better.
  • Turn the shanks halfway through roasting or the top side can dry out while the bottom gets too soft.
  • Let the finished dish rest for ten minutes before serving so the meat reabsorbs some of the juices and stays moist on the plate.
03 -
  • Use a heavy pot with a tight fitting lid so the moisture stays trapped and the meat braises instead of roasts dry.
  • If your oven runs hot, drop the temperature to 150 degrees Celsius and add an extra thirty minutes to avoid scorching the bottom.
  • Taste the sauce before serving and adjust with a pinch of salt or a grind of pepper, every batch is a little different depending on your stock and wine.
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