Spiced and Braised Lamb Shanks
Lamb shanks melt into a tender succulent gravy when slow cooked with aromatics and a bit of wine.
Ingredients
4 lamb shanks
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp chili flakes
1 onion, sliced thinly
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup dry red wine
1 cup water or stock
1 sprig rosemary (optional)
1 orange, zest cut in wide strips
Method
- Heat oven to 325F
- Season the lamb shanks all over with the salt, cinnamon, and chili flakes
- In a Dutch oven, heat a glug of neutral oil over medium high heat
- Brown all sides of the lamb shanks evenly then remove from the pan
- Add the onion and garlic to the pan and reduce the heat to medium low
- Sweat the onion and garlic until soft
- Add the wine and reduce by half
- Add the water, rosemary sprig, and orange zest then nestle the lamb shanks back into the pot
- Bring the liquid to a boil over medium high heat
- Cover with tinfoil or a tight fitting lid and transfer to the oven
- Braise until the lamb is fall-apart tender
- Remove from the oven and let cool 15 minutes
- Taste the sauce and if it tastes thin, remove the shanks and reduce the sauce until deeply flavorful
- Serve either on the bone or remove the meat from the bone and return to the sauce
- Pair with parsnip mash and a green salad
