Braised Lamb Shanks With Lemon

Name: Braised Lamb Shanks With Lemon
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: greek
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 4 lamb shanks, roughly a pound each; Salt and pepper to taste; 3 or 4 thyme sprigs; 6 cloves garlic, lightly crushed; 1 large onion, cut into chunks; 4 stalks celery, roughly chopped; 4 medium carrots, peeled and roughly chopped; 2 cups dry white wine or water; 1 1/2 pounds waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks; 1 lemon; Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish

By Mark Bittman

Total Time: 2 hours
Rating: 4(483)
Comments: Read comments

Many of us had our earliest experiences with braised foods not at the pricey restaurants that have recently rediscovered their appeal but at the Greek diners that never forgot it. So it's not surprising that I associate braised lamb shanks with egg-lemon sauce, a Greek staple. But when I set about to recreate this standard dish I found the sauce superfluous. Though a slow-cooked pot of braised lamb shanks and root vegetables becomes so sweet that it begs for something to counter it, it is also so rich that the thick sauce (a primitive form of béarnaise, really) is overkill. Better, it seems to me, is to finish the braised shanks with what you might call lemon-lemon sauce, using both a lemon's zest and a lemon's juice. That little touch converts this dish from a delicious but perhaps one-dimensional stew to something more, a braise that may never look particularly elegant but tastes that way.

Featured in: THE MINIMALIST; In 2 Hours, You're Greek

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

3tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4lamb shanks, roughly a pound each
Salt and pepper to taste
3 or 4thyme sprigs
6cloves garlic, lightly crushed
1large onion, cut into chunks
4stalks celery, roughly chopped
4medium carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
2cups dry white wine or water
1½pounds waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1lemon
Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Put oil in a large, deep skillet or casserole that can be covered later, and turn heat to medium-high. Add shanks, sprinkling them with salt and pepper. When pieces are deeply browned on one side, add thyme, garlic, onion, half the celery and half the carrots, and more salt and pepper to skillet. Continue to brown, stirring occasionally.
Step 2
Add wine, and let mixture bubble for about a minute; cover and adjust heat so that mixture simmers steadily. Cook for about an hour.
Step 3
Add remaining vegetables to pan; zest lemon, and add zest as well. Continue to cook until lamb is very tender and vegetables soft, another 30 to 45 minutes. (You can prepare dish up to this point in advance; let sit for a few hours, or cover and refrigerate for up to a day before reheating and proceeding.)
Step 4
When lamb is done, juice lemon, and add juice to sauce. Taste, adjust seasoning, and serve, garnished with parsley.

Ratings

4 out of 5

483 user ratings

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Comments

MMSF7 years ago

This is a very easy recipe and very tasty. I followed the recipe, using wine not water, and I left the skins on the potatoes. I also cooked it about 2 hours to get the lamb very tender and falling off the bones. Served it with crusty bread.

Maida7 years ago

Added 2T tomato paste
Used individual serving apple juice instead of wine.
No need to add vegetables, lemon juice, zest, separately.
Bake 3-4 hrs. at 250 degrees

Andy Nagel7 years ago

I made a version of this a few weeks ago with 2 lamb shanks and the following variations: juice and zest of one orange as well as the lemon, 4 garlic cloves, uncrushed. Also used good white vermouth instead of wine. Reduced sauce at the end. Orange was welcome surprise.Divine!

Babs1 week ago

I cook very slowly for at least four hours. It’s the most delicious lamb shank recipe and coming from Australia - I’ve cooked a few. The lemon really makes a difference - don’t skip it. It cuts through the fat and takes the dish to another level.

L. Whetstone2 years ago

Delicious and pretty easy. Followed comments and roasted in oven at 300 for between 2 1/2 -3 hours. Made this for Easter lunch and everyone enjoyed. I used vermouth instead of wine and it was good

vlwolcott3 years ago

Cut it in half (two shanks), added extra carrots and a big parsnip, used a Russet potato. It was delicious and easy to throw together earlier in the day.

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