Braised Lamb Shanks

In Tomato and Red Wine Sauce

Servings: 6 | Prep Time: 30 mins | Ready In: 3 hrs

Cook hearty, slow-braised lamb shanks that are falling-off-the-bone good. Braised in a tomato and red wine sauce, these lamb shanks have plenty of time to get tender and utterly infused with wonderful flavors. You'll look like you've slaved all afternoon, but with this simple recipe, all you need is a little preplanning and prep work to cook like you care.

• 6 lamb shanks, french trimmed*
• 1 head garlic, top cut off exposing cloves
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 14.5-oz can crushed tomatoes, fire-roasted
• 2 carrots, sliced into large rounds
• 1 large potato, peeled, cut into large chunks
• 2 TBSP double-concentrated tomato paste
• 1 TBSP brown sugar
• 2 bay leaves, dried
• 2 cups red wine, cabernet sauvingon
• 1 cup beef stock
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 1 tsp oregano, dried
• 1 1/2 TBSP salt
• 1 tsp black pepper, fresh coarsely cracked
• 1 TBSP vegetable oil

Adjust oven rack to lower middle position. Preheat oven to 325° F.
Using 1 TBSP of oil, heat a dutch oven (or an oven-safe pan with lid) on stove top over medium high heat. Brown lamb shanks on all sides sprinkling lightly with salt and pepper. Remove shanks from pan and set aside covered to keep warm. You may need to do this in batches or simultaneously in two separate pans.
Add onion to hot pan. Lower heat to medium. Saute until translucent and slightly browned, about 6 minutes. Add beef stock, red wine, tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, bay leaves, oregano, and remaining salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
Nestle lamb shanks back into dutch oven with stock. Nestle head of garlic into center. Add rosemary. Cover with lid. Bring to boil, then turn off stove.
Transfer covered dutch oven into preheated oven. Cook for 1 hour. After 1 hour, add potatoes and carrots and return to oven. Cook for 1 more hour.
After cooking for 2 hours total, return dutch oven to stove top. Remove lamb shanks, potatoes and carrots, keeping them covered to keep warm. Locate and discard bay leaves and rosemary. Skim off excess fat from sauce.
Simmer sauce on low heat without lid to reduce, about 15 minutes. Stir occassionally. Return lamb shanks, potatoes, and carrots into sauce. Cover with lid and reheat lamb shanks another 5 minutes.
Serve hot. Braised lamb shanks go great with polenta, sweet peas, and a glass of red wine. Enjoy!

* French trimmed is simply trimming away tough tendons about 1 inch from bottom of narrow end of lamb shank, leaving bare bone. Makes for easier eating and nicer presentation.