Braised Lamb Shanks  • How Cook Lamb {Video} • Two Purple Figs

Braised Lamb Shanks are the absolute fall of the bone, juicy, succulent and fool proof way to cook the lamb shanks. With an immersion blender, you can turn the braising liquid into a luscious gravy that drenches the meat adding more flavor and richness to the lamb shanks! This post is sponsored by The American Lamb Board. All opinions are my own.

Here’s an easy Easter Lamb recipe that you can try this year – a real crowd pleaser! It’s a dish that’s even tastier and richer when made with fresh and local American Lamb. 

Imagine biting into a succulent lamb shank that’s rich tasting, flavourful and having the meat literally falling off the bone tender. Now, visualize the smooth rich sauce coating the meat with a hint of rosemary, all served over mashed potatoes. 

Braised lamb shanks is one of the easiest recipes out there. It’s a simple mix-and-cook recipe that does not involve spending hours in the kitchen. In fact, you just have to put everything in a pan and go about your day as it cooks.

What are Braised Lamb Shanks?

Braised lamb shanks are one of the most delicious meals ever! The act of braising is basically cooking a piece of meat in a liquid of choice over gentle heat until the meat is fall off the bone tender.

Today we’re braising lamb shanks, and we always use American Lamb. ALWAYS.American Lamb is the freshest possible lamb you can get, it has a rich buttery taste.

I’ve visited a few ranches across the US and met with some amazing ranchers who raise their sheep with so much love and dedication—you actually taste that love when you buy local American lamb! I can’t urge you enough to ask your butcher before buying to make sure the lamb you’re eating is American. 

For the shanks, we start by seasoning American lamb shanks with salt and pepper and then searing them in a pan with butter until they become charred to golden-brown perfection.

The next step is to cook the lamb shanks in a succulent sauce prepared using basic ingredients like butter, onions, garlic, spices, herbs, and stock. The lamb shanks are left to cook in the sauce until the meat is soft and tender and literally falls off the bone!

What’s next? Remove the shanks from the sauce and remove any whole spices/herbs. Use and immersion blender or regular blender to simply blend the sauce into a luscious gravy. 

Serve the lamb shanks on a bed of creamy mashed potatoes and generous amounts of gravy on top. For added taste and nutrition, you can add a side of steamed or roasted vegetables.

American lamb shanks are the perfect meal for a family gathering, an intimate dinner party, Holiday meal, or even something you can take to a potluck!

Ingredients for Braised Lamb Shanks

The braised lamb shanks recipe is quite simple, and so are its ingredients. Here’s what you need to whip up this delicious meal:

• Lamb Shanks: I used American lamb shanks for this recipe; always will. I can’t stress enough the importance of choosing the right source of lamb before making lamb recipes. American lamb is our choice. 

• Spices: We season the lamb shanks with a dry spice blend before searing. I used salt, pepper, red chili flakes and oregano, but you can use any dry spice mix based on your taste and preference.

• Butter: Use unsalted butter to sear the lamb shanks. However, you can also use olive or coconut oil, but I suggest using unsalted butter, as it gives the lamb shanks the creamy taste we’re looking for.

• Onions: Use grated white onions to make the sauce; however, red onions will also do. Finely grated onions are a KEY to a thick gravy like sauce at the end—don’t use chopped onions. 

• Garlic: Minced garlic flavors the sauce. 

• Whole Spice: A cinnamon stick adds a spicy, woody flavor along with whole peppercorns and bay leaf. You can add whole coriander seeds too.

• Herbs: Add some herbs to the sauce. I used rosemary, thyme and bay leaves, but you can also go for basil, or thyme. 
• Stock: Most lamb shank recipes use a combo of red wine and stock to make the sauce. I’m making it using lamb stock because I love a light coloured sauce and lamb shanks. You can use a hint of wine, and any type of stock you have.

• Pomegranate Molasses: Lastly, we will drizzle some pomegranate molasses to give the sauce a unique sweetness and tang to balance out all the saltiness of the herbs, spices and stock.

How to Cook Lamb Shanks?

Here are the easy steps to cook lamb shanks to perfection:

1. Season the paper towel-dried lamb shanks with a dry spice mix, including salt, pepper, red chili flakes, coriander, and oregano.

2. Melt butter in a pan and place the seasoned lamb shanks until they turn golden brown on both sides. 
3. Put the charred lamb shanks aside. Add butter, onions, garlic, herbs, whole spice, bay leaf, and stock in the same pan.

4. Now place the lamb shanks back in the pot and cook for 2 hours until it is soft and tender.

5. The lamb is ready when it looks like this below. Seriously tender and melt in your mouth soft.

6. Once again, remove the lamb shanks from the pot and also remove the whole spices and sprigs of herbs. This will make the sauce smoother and silkier. 
7. Use a regular blender if you prefer, however my preference is to blend the sauce using an immersion blender until smooth. 
8. Now my favorite way to plate the braised lamb shanks is to have a large plate and smoothen out the mashed potatoes right on to the plate. My favorite recipe is this Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes which is fool proof!
9. Add the lamb shanks and drizzle generously with sauce.

Braised Lamb Shanks Tips:

1. Ask for American lamb when you’re  buying lamb. Supporting local ranchers, having the freshest lamb on your table and enjoying a meal with quality lamb is what you get when buying American Lamb!
2. Lamb shanks can be huge and bulky when you think of fitting them in to you pan. You can ask the butcher to trim off the bone to make room in your cooking pan.
3. An instant pot or slower cooker works great for braising lamb shanks too and making this recipe. You’ll need to adjust cooking times.
4. If you’re looking to oven roast lamb shanks—try these other recipes on the website: 
5.  Cook the lamb shanks long enough for them to fall apart while still holding on to the bone. This takes around 2 hours on low heat for about 8-10 shanks in a large 7 quart dutch oven pan.
6. You can add an extra half an hour or so, depending on your stove and how heavy your pan is.
7. The gravy is a byproduct of the braising process, so no extra step is required except removing any tough pieces of herbs and whole spice from the sauce. 
8. An immersion blender is best to blend the sauce into a gravy, however a regular blender works just as well—it’s just more clean up. 
9. The pomegranate molasses adds a rich sweetness and tang to the sauce, but if you can’t find it then subset with a balsamic reduction.
10. The final garnish of fresh rosemary and orange zest is optional, but adds a bright and sweet finish to the lamb shanks.
11. Leftovers of this recipe make the GREATEST sandwiches with gravy, melted cheese and panini pressed—SO GOOD!!!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q. What do you serve with braised lamb shanks?

Braised lamb shanks are usually served on a bed of mashed potatoes. But if you want, you can use sweet potatoes or cauliflower mash too. And if you want to pair it with another dish, you can go for rice pilaf, green beans, mushrooms, or any type of salad.

Q. How to thicken the sauce for the braised lamb shanks?

The easy way to thicken the sauce is to simmer it for 8 to 10 minutes until it becomes thick and glossy. But if you’re in a rush, you can make a slurry using cornstarch and a little sauce and pour it into the pot while stirring continuously. Simmer for a couple of minutes until you get the desired consistency.

Q. How to store leftover lamb shanks?

You can store the leftover lamb shanks in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and in the freezer for 3 months. When ready to serve, just reheat them in the oven. 

Q. What happens if you overcook the lamb shanks?

Usually, you should stop braising the lamb shanks once they have turned golden brown on both sides. However, if you overcook them, they might turn out a bit darker and lose their moisture and tenderness.

Q. Can we add vegetables to the sauce other than onions?

Yes, you can definitely add more vegetables to the sauce, including carrots, celery, turnips, parsnips, and tomatoes. 

Q. What about red wine?

You can add dry red wine and stock to make a robust sauce with amplified flavors. If you want to add red wine to the sauce, use good-value wine like Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or Malbec. 

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