Cast Iron

Braised Lamb Shanks

July  1, 2014
5
1 Ratings
  • Serves 2
Author Notes

This meal is so easy to make, albeit time consuming, but definitely a way to impress dinner guests without killing yourself in the kitchen. —Primal Palate

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, ghee, or tallow
  • 1 Vidalia Onion, sliced
  • 5 Garlic cloves, smashed
  • 5 pieces celery, whole stalks, plus the greens for braising
  • 1 sprig fresh Rosemary, chopped
  • 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1/4 cup Coconut Aminos
  • 1 cup Beef broth
  • 6 ounces Tomato Paste
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon Tallow
  • 4 Lamb Shanks, half shanks
Directions
  1. Prior to cooking, make sure that you have beef broth on hand, either purchased or homemade.
  2. Removed the lamb shanks from the fridge, and allow to come up to room temperature, rinse and pat dry. You can leave them out while you start cooking the braising mixture.
  3. In a large cast iron soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat.
  4. Add the onion to the pot, and saute, adding a pinch of salt to season as well as allow the onions to release some liquid.
  5. After a minute or so, add the garlic to the pot, and continue to saute.
  6. After another minute, add the celery and rosemary to the pot, and continue to saute until the vegetables have softened.
  7. Whisk the balsamic vinegar and coconut aminos together, and pour over the vegetables. Stir to evenly combine. Turn the heat down to medium-low, and let the vegetables cook in the liquid for about 3-5 minutes.
  8. Add the beef broth to the pot, and stir to combine. Season with a pinch of salt and black pepper.
  9. Add the tomato paste to the pot, and stir until it is evenly combined. Allow to cook for about a minute, and then remove from heat.
  10. Season the lamb shanks with salt, and heat the tallow (or your choice of frying fat) in a cast iron skillet over high heat.
  11. Sear the lamb shanks until brown on all sides, about 5 minutes total.
  12. Transfer the lamb shanks to the pot with the braising liquid, turning to coat with liquid.
  13. Bring lamb shanks to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer and cover.
  14. Cook for about two and a half hours, checking every so often, and rotating the lamb shanks. They will be finished when the meat is tender and can fall off the bone.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Dauntlesst
    Dauntlesst
  • lori
    lori
  • mygirltiffany0422
    mygirltiffany0422

3 Reviews

lori July 25, 2018
Nothing in this recipe about cutting / chopping the celery but assuming I chop into 2" pieces?
 
Dauntlesst February 22, 2015
Made this last night-I was drawn into the idea of having a rich lamb shank meat and sauce spooned over mash potatoes! Since my family are sauce fanatics I added six additional ounces of water. Additionally, I am allergic to beef and pork (tick bites) so vegetable stock was used-still rich and wonderful. I also deglazed browning pan with red wine and slopped all that delight into the cast iron pot. We bought an entire butchered lamb from a local farm here in TN.
Thank you--delicious!
 
mygirltiffany0422 April 10, 2022
Thank you for the deglazing tip!