Best Lamb Shanks With Cilantro Sauce Recipes

EASY BRAISED LAMB SHANKS RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a small bowl, add all the spice mix ingredients and mix to combine.
• Pat the lamb shanks dry and season with the spice mix on all sides.
• In a large Dutch oven pot like this one, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the lamb shanks on all sides (about 8 mins or so). Transfer the lamb shanks to a large tray or bowl for now. Carefully dispose of extra fat in a separate heat-safe bowl, and return the pot to heat.
• Now add the onions, celery, carrots and potatoes. Saute for 5-7 minutes on medium-high, or until the vegetables gain some color. Add red wine, scrape the pot of brown bits. Cook briefly so that the wine reduces a bit.
• 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 heat off.
• Cover the pot and transfer to the 350 degrees F-heated oven. Cook in the 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.)
• While the lamb shanks are cooking, prepare rice according to this recipe, or prepare 2-3 cups of orzo pasta according to package instructions.
• Serve the lamb shanks hot with a little of the veggies and braising sauce on top of rice or orzo pasta. You might also like to prepare a side salad like this 3-ingredient Mediterranean salad or Fattoush. Enjoy!

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH FRESH HERBS

Steps:

• In a large bowl (or covered container) large enough to hold the lamb, mix together salt, paprika and pepper. Add shanks and rub all over with spice mix. Cover and marinate for at least 4 hours (or up to 24 hours) in the refrigerator.
• Heat oven to 325 degrees. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat a very thin film of olive oil. Sear the lamb in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan, adding more oil as needed. Take your time with this, making sure to brown the lamb all over. Transfer browned lamb to a roasting pan.
• When all the lamb is cooked, add onion to empty skillet and cook it in the lamb drippings, adding a more oil if pan looks dry, until limp and lightly browned at the edges, about 5 minutes.
• Add garlic, coriander, cayenne and allspice and cook until the garlic is very fragrant and opaque, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Pour in wine and bring to a simmer, scraping up the browned bits on bottom of pan. Let mixture simmer until thickened and reduced by about a third (about 5 minutes). Pour over lamb.
• In a bowl, toss together scallions, spicy greens, and herbs. Sprinkle lamb with half the herb mixture and set remaining half aside for serving. Cover pan with two layers of foil (or heavy-duty foil) and bake until meat is falling off the bones, 3 to 3 1/2 hours total, turning shanks every hour so they cook evenly. If the bottom of the pan starts to dry out before lamb is done, add a few tablespoons of the stock or water to moisten it.
• When shanks are tender, transfer to a heated serving platter and cover with foil to keep warm. If you like, at this point you can tear the meat off the bones; or, serve the shanks bone-in.
• On top of the stove, heat roasting pan over medium-low heat. If pan is dry, add remaining stock or water and bring to a simmer. (If drippings in pan seem very fatty, spoon off some of the fat.) Add currants and bring drippings to a simmer, scraping up the browned bits on bottom of pan.
• Once the liquid is reduced to a thin glaze, add butter to pan along with all but 2 tablespoons of the remaining herbs (save those 2 tablespoons for garnish). Whisk sauce until smooth, then taste and add lemon juice as needed. Pour sauce over the lamb and garnish with chopped herbs. Serve immediately.

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH FISH SAUCE

Steps:

• Place smashed garlic in a resealable plastic bag along with lamb shanks and 1/4 cup fish sauce. Seal bag, pressing out air. Turn lamb shanks to coat and chill at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.
• Let lamb sit at room temperature 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 300°F. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high. Remove lamb shanks from bag and add to pot; discard marinade. Cook shanks, turning occasionally, until browned evenly on all sides, 14-18 minutes. Transfer to a large plate.
• Reduce heat to medium and cook shallots, cilantro stems, and finely chopped garlic in the same pot, stirring often and scraping up browned bits from the bottom, until shallots are golden, 5-7 minutes. Add chiles, lime leaves, bay leaves, stock, and 1/4 cup fish sauce, and stir, scraping up any remaining stuck-on bits from bottom of pot. Bring to a simmer, return lamb to pot, and cover. Transfer to oven and braise until meat is pulling away from bones but not quite fork-tender, 50-60 minutes.
• Turn shanks and add fennel and carrots to pot, submerging in liquid. Cover and braise until meat is very tender and nearly falling off the bone, 40-50 minutes. Let rest 15-20 minutes before serving.
• Serve lamb shanks with fennel and carrots and some braising liquid (for a thicker sauce, simmer the braising liquid until it reduces slightly), topped with cilantro, basil, and/or celery leaves, and seasoned with a few more drops of fish sauce if desired.
• Do Ahead
• Lamb and vegetables can be braised 2 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill. Reheat over low before topping with herbs and more fish sauce.

THAI-CURRIED LAMB SHANKS WITH CILANTRO RICE

Steps:

• Trim lamb shanks of excess fat and sinew and place in large dish. Combine coconut milk, lime juice and zest, curry paste, and half of the lemongrass and ginger. Pour over shanks. Cover and marinate 2-3 hours, turning lamb occasionally. Drain the lamb well, pour marinade through a sieve and set aside.
• Heat oil in large casserole dish and sauté onion with remaining lemongrass and ginger. Add lamb and brown on all sides. Add the marinade and wine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 2-3 hours or until very tender and meat is starting to fall off the bone. (Add more wine or water if necessary.).
• When the lamb is nearly cooked, prepare the rice. Place cilantro in a food processor and add oil and vinegar. Process until smooth, adding more oil if necessary to make a sauce consistency. Set aside. Cook rice according to directions on the package and fluff with fork. Fold half of the cilantro dressing into the rice.
• Spoon rice onto plates and top with lamb shank. Spoon over strained pan juices and drizzle with remaining cilantro dressing.

LAMB SHANKS WITH APRICOTS AND CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• Season lamb shanks generously with salt and pepper. Place in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot. Cover with 6 cups water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a low simmer and cook, covered with lid ajar, for 1 hour. Remove shanks and reserve cooking liquid. Wipe out the pan. (You may cook the lamb shanks in advance, even a day ahead.)
• Set Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add onions and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon garlic, bay leaf, saffron, tomato paste and paprika. Stir together and let sizzle for 1 minute, then add reserved lamb broth and bring to a boil. Add lamb shanks and apricots, cover with lid ajar and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, until meat is very tender, nearly falling off the bone.
• Remove shanks and place on a cutting board to cool. Add parsnips to simmering broth, and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Taste broth and adjust seasoning. If necessary, reduce over medium-high heat to concentrate cooking juices.
• When shanks are cool enough to handle, remove the bones (use your hands). Cut the meat into large chunks and return to the pot to warm through. Transfer meat and sauce to a serving platter.
• To finish, warm remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon garlic and let sizzle without browning, about 30 seconds. Add chickpeas and warm them through, about 5 minutes. Season lightly with salt, and toss with the chopped cilantro. Spoon chickpeas over lamb and sauce.