Slow-Cooked Lamb Shanks in Pinot Noir

By á-25087

Slow-cooked lamb shanks is the kind of food that tastes even better the day after it’s made. Make it one to two days in advance for the best flavor.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 lamb shanks, 3/4 to 1 pound each
• 3 teaspoons kosher salt
• One 28-ounce can whole tomatoes with liquid
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 fennel bulb, fronds and stalks removed, halved, cored, and thinly sliced
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped into 1 1/2-inch lengths (optional)
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 lemon, halved
• 1 1/2 cups pinot noir
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 12 fresh mint leaves

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C).

Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the lamb shanks with 2 teaspoons of the salt and brown in the hot oil on all sides. Remove the shanks to a plate and pour off any excess fat from the pan.

Pour the tomatoes into a large bowl and, using your hands, shred them into small pieces. Set aside.

Add the onions, fennel, carrots (if using), garlic, and the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt to the pot. Cook, stirring and scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pot, until the garlic is lightly toasted, 3 to 4 minutes. Squeeze in the lemon juice from each half and toss the lemon rinds into the pot. Stir in the wine, tomatoes, and ginger, scraping any browned bits up from the bottom of the pot, and bring to a simmer; cook for about 3 minutes.

Stir in the cinnamon, coriander, fennel seeds, and 3/4 cup water, then add the lamb to the pot. Cover and braise in the oven until the lamb shanks are fork-tender and falls easily off the bone, about 3 hours.

Arrange the braised lamb shanks on a platter. Stir the butter into the pan juices and, once melted, add the mint. Pour the sauce over the lamb, discard the cinnamon sticks, and serve