Red Wine Braised Lamb Shanks with Vegetables

By Sprig Originals ✓ · with credit

Adapted from themediterraneandish.com

Spice-rubbed lamb shanks seared until deeply browned, then left to braise low and slow in red wine, tomatoes and beef broth with cinnamon, thyme and rosemary until the meat slides off the bone. The carrots and baby potatoes cook right alongside, so dinner comes out of one pot looking like it took far more effort than it did.

Ingredients

• 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

• 6 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, such as Merlot
• 3 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 28 ounce can peeled tomatoes
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary

Instructions

1. Heat your oven to 350°F. Stir the garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper and nutmeg together in a small bowl. Pat the lamb shanks completely dry with paper towels, then rub the spice mix over every surface.
2. Warm the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the shanks in batches, giving them room and turning them so every side takes on deep color, about 8 minutes per batch. Move them to a tray as they finish.
3. Carefully pour off the excess fat, then set the pot back over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots and potatoes and cook, stirring now and then, until the vegetables pick up some color, 5 to 7 minutes.
4. Pour in the red wine and scrape the bottom of the pot to lift all the browned bits. Let it bubble a couple of minutes to reduce slightly, then add the beef broth, tomatoes, cinnamon sticks, thyme and rosemary. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
5. Nestle the shanks back into the pot, pressing them down so they're mostly submerged. Bring to a boil and let it go for 10 minutes, then turn off the heat.
6. Cover the pot and slide it into the oven for 2 1/2 hours, until the meat is falling away from the bone. Check every 45 minutes or so and add a splash of broth or water if the level drops too far — by the end the liquid should have reduced to about a third of where it started.
7. Serve the shanks hot over rice, orzo or polenta with the vegetables alongside and plenty of the braising sauce spooned over the top.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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