Braised Lamb Shanks

by Tom Landshof

We make this once or twice a year and it sure fills the house with great aromas. Here in Indianapolis I get good foreshanks from Kroger. Most of the time involved is prepping the shanks removing the fat and silver skin. The easiest way is to slide a sharp pointed knife just under the silver skin and with blade angled slightly upward slice it off in sheets. This also works on leg of lamb. Enjoy!

Ingredients: (Serves 4)
4 lamb shanks, external fat trimmed
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 yellow onions, coarse dice
2 celery stalks, coarse dice
2 carrots, coarse dice
2 Tbs. butter
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 cups red wine
1½ cups chicken stock
2 Tbs. tomato paste
1 Tbs. rosemary, ground
1 tsp. Herbes de Provence
½ tsp. sage
1 bay leaf

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 330˚F for convection bake, 350˚F regular bake.

2. Season lamb shanks with salt and pepper. In large, deep sauté pan over medium high heat, warm olive oil to nearly smoking. Brown shanks on all sides in batches as needed. Transfer shanks to plate.

3. Add onions, carrots, celery to pan, stirring occasionally. Add butter. Cook until vegetables are golden and translucent. Add garlic at end so you don’t over cook it.

4. Remove pan from heat, add stock, to deglaze bottom of pan. Stir in tomato paste.

5. Return pan to heat and bring to simmer. Add red wine, scraping up any brown bits from pan bottom. Add spices and return shanks with any accumulated juices. Bring to boil.

6. Cover pan and transfer to oven. After 1½ hours, carefully rotate shanks, (meat should be almost falling off bones), stir sauce and continue to cook covered for ½ hour. Uncover and cook 15 minutes.

7. Let rest 15 minutes. Using tongs carefully remove shanks. Remove and discard bay leaf. Strain sauce (defat if necessary), puree solids and stir into strained sauce. Correct seasonings. Pour some of sauce over shanks and serve, passing rest of sauce.

Note:
I usually cook 6 shanks, serving 4 and freezing 2 for a later meal. After browning I divide the shanks between 2 pans, make the sauce and divide it between the two pans and proceed from there.

Remove as much of the fat and silver skin from the shanks as you can. This gives a better flavor with less fat to the sauce.