Braised Lamb Shanks With Rosemary

Best Braised Lamb Shanks on a cozy night at home with family and friends.
I am a big fan of lamb. Chops, legs, shanks, loins are all in my foodie playbook. I have favorite preparations for each cut and have invested many hours perfecting my cookery of this beast. Every once in a while I come across a person who claims they are not a fan. I imagine their only experience mirrors my first exposures as a kid, dried out, overcooked with green mint jelly. Thanks Mom for the intro… I’ll take it from here. Then with empathy, I go about my quest to convert them with a high percentage success rate.
This Braised Lamb Shanks recipe is one of my favs on a weekend or snowy night.
It takes a little more time but the prep is easy and the house smells great for hours. It’s a hearty meal and as an early Sunday dinner will carry you the rest of the day. Keep the carbs down by serving this with my Magical Cauliflower Mash.


- 3.5 lbs Lamb Shanks - (about 8 smaller ones)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup leeks, chopped
- 1/2 cup fennel, chopped
- 3 large carrots, peeled, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
- 8 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups dry red wine (about a 3rd of a bottle)
- 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes with juices
- 1.5 cups - chicken broth
- 1.5 cups - beef broth
- 5 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
- 1 large portobello mushroom sliced
- Sprinkle shanks with salt and pepper.
- Heat oil in heavy large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Working in batches, add shanks to pot and cook until brown on all sides, about 8 minutes.
- Transfer shanks to bowl.
- Add onions, carrots, leeks, fennel and garlic to pot and sauté until golden, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in all remaining ingredients except sliced portobello mushrooms.
- Return shanks to pot, pressing down to submerge.
- Bring liquids to boil.
- Cover - place in 375 degree oven - about 2.5 hours total.
- Uncover pot last 45 minutes - stir once to coat meat with sauce.
- Sauce will reduce and exposed meat will brown.
- (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill until cold; cover and keep chilled - Rewarm over medium heat before continuing.)
- Transfer shanks to platter - tent with foil.
- Boil juices in pot until thickened, med high - about 10 minutes.
- Add portobello mushroom slices - cook about 5 minutes more.
- Season with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over shanks.
- Serve Lamb Shanks with Cauliflower Mash - http://www.everydayketogourmet.com/wp/a-magical-cauliflower-mash/
- Optional - Strain the sauce before final reduction - then add the mushrooms and cook for 5 min.
- You can add more red wine, but I follow the rule - "only cook with wine you would drink" So - I like to have more to drink while I am cooking - up to you!
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