Red Wine Braised Lamb Shanks
Looking for a restaurant-fancy main that's secretly easy? Try oven-braised lamb shanks and vegetables in a rich red wine sauce. (Merlot is my favorite here, but a Cabernet Sauvignon would work well, too.) Serve with something to soak up the rice. Lebanese rice, polenta, cooked orzo or pita bread would all be delicious.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
For the Spice Mix
- 2 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon sweet Spanish paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
For the Lamb Shanks
- 6 American lamb shanks
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
- 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into large pieces
- 1 pound baby potatoes, scrubbed
- 2 cups dry red wine (I like Merlot)
- 3 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 28- ounce can peeled tomatoes
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
Instructions
- Get ready. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Mix all of the Spice Mix ingredients together in a small bowl. Pat the lamb shanks dry and season all over with the spice mix.
- Sear the lamb. In a large Dutch oven over medium-high, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Working in batches, brown the lamb shanks until golden on all sides (about 8 mins or so). Transfer to a large tray or bowl for now.
- Saute the veggies. Carefully pour off any excess fat and return the pot to medium-high heat. Add the onions, celery, carrots, and potatoes. Saute until the vegetables gain some color, 5-7 minutes.
- Make the braising liquid. Add the red wine and scrape up any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Cook briefly so that the wine reduces a bit, then add the broth, tomatoes, cinnamon sticks, thyme, and rosemary. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper. Return lamb shanks back to the pot; press down to submerge. Boil for 10 minutes. Turn the heat off.
- Oven-braise the lamb. Cover the pot and transfer to the hot oven for 2 1/2 hours. (It’s a good idea to check periodically through cooking just in case you need to add a little more liquid. When the shanks finish cooking, the liquid will have reduced to about 1/3 of what it was when you started.)
- Serve. Serve the lamb shanks hot on a bed of rice or orzo with a little of the veggies and braising sauce on top. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the olive oil and spices used in this recipe.
- Slow cooker lamb shanks: Follow the recipe instructions for seasoning and browning the lamb. Transfer the lamb to a large slow cooker. Add the vegetables, then add 1 cup wine (instead of 2), broth, and remaining ingredients. Cover the slow cooker. Set on Low and cook for 8 hours or on High and cook for 5 to 6 hours or until the shanks are fully cooked to fall-apart tender.
- Leftovers and storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat lamb and vegetables in a 350 degrees F heated oven in an oven-safe pot for about 30 minutes. If the sauce has reduced too much, add a little more beef broth.
Nutrition
Calories: 447.5kcal | Carbohydrates: 27.8g | Protein: 44.4g | Fat: 11.3g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5.9g | Cholesterol: 127.3mg | Sodium: 974.4mg | Potassium: 1512.9mg | Fiber: 5.3g | Sugar: 6.6g | Vitamin A: 5461.5IU | Vitamin C: 31.5mg | Calcium: 107.8mg | Iron: 6.1mg
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