5.0 from 9 votes
Braised lamb shanks
These braised lamb shanks are wonderfully tender and served with a deliciously flavorful sauce.
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs 10 mins
Total Time
2 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 2 or
Calories: 451 kcal
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
Mediterranean
Ingredients
- ½ cup carrot ½ cup is 1 medium-large carrot
- 1 cup onion 1 cup is roughly a medium-large onion
- 2 ribs celery 2 ribs is approximately ½ cup
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ½ lb lamb shanks 1 ½lb is around 2 smaller shanks, see notes
- ½ cup red wine
- 14 oz chopped tomatoes or can use passata (some pictures above with each)
- ½ cup light stock
- ½ tablespoon tomato paste tomato puree
- 1 teaspoon mixed herbs
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- Peel and finely dice the carrots and onions. Slice the celery thinly, cutting any larger slices in half or smaller so they are similar size to the carrots and onions.
- Preheat oven to 350F/175C.
- Warm half of the oil in an ovenproof dish large enough to hold both lamb shanks but relatively tightly, so the sauce will come well up the side without needing too much. Add the lamb shanks and brown on all sides, over a medium-high heat - I know this can be tricky given their shape but do as best you can. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Add the carrot, onion and celery to the pan along with the rest of the oil and cook, stirring now and then, for a couple minutes until the onions are softened. Reduce heat if needed so they don't burn.
- Add the red wine and allow it to bubble a minute then add the tomatoes, stock, tomato paste, mixed herbs, thyme and bay leaf. Stir to ensure mixed then add back the lamb shanks, pushing them under the sauce so they are largely covered.
- Cover the dish and transfer to the oven. Cook for approximately 2 hours, a little more is fine, checking after around 1 ½ hours and turning the lamb shanks if they are out of the sauce. If the sauce looks particularly low, add a little more stock but you do want it to reduce a bit (see photos above).
- Great served with something to mop up the sauce eg couscous, rice, quinoa or mashed potato.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- While the recipe describes using 2 smaller lamb shanks for 2 people, we also often make this with 2 or 3 larger shanks (so nearer 2lb/900g or a little more) and take the meat off the bone, return it to the sauce and serve as more of a ragu. Especially with another side, this can easily then serve 4 of us. The other ingredients can stay around the same and it's just a meatier sauce, or you can increase them all a little, as you prefer.
- We also sometimes omit the celery, if we don't need it for other things, and just increase the onion a little.
Nutrition Information
Calories
451kcal
(23%)
Carbohydrates
24g
(8%)
Protein
34g
(68%)
Fat
20g
(31%)
Saturated Fat
4g
(20%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
2g
Monounsaturated Fat
13g
Cholesterol
96mg
(32%)
Sodium
505mg
(21%)
Potassium
1214mg
(35%)
Fiber
5g
(20%)
Sugar
11g
(22%)
Vitamin A
5913IU
(118%)
Vitamin C
29mg
(32%)
Calcium
138mg
(14%)
Iron
6mg
(33%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 2or
Amount Per Serving
Calories 451
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 451kcal | 23% |
| Carbohydrates | 24g | 8% |
| Protein | 34g | 68% |
| Fat | 20g | 31% |
| Saturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 13g | 65% |
| Cholesterol | 96mg | 32% |
| Sodium | 505mg | 21% |
| Potassium | 1214mg | 26% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 11g | 22% |
| Vitamin A | 5913IU | 118% |
| Vitamin C | 29mg | 32% |
| Calcium | 138mg | 14% |
| Iron | 6mg | 33% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.