🔪 Serves: 4
⏱ Total Time: ~3 hours (mostly hands-off)
🦴 Ingredients:
For the Braised Lamb Shanks:
- 4 lamb shanks (about 1 lb each)
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup red wine (dry)
- 3 cups beef or chicken broth
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary (or 1 tsp dried)
- 2 tsp fresh thyme (or ¾ tsp dried)
- 2 bay leaves
For the Mashed Potatoes:
- 2 lbs (about 900g) Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- ½ cup whole milk (warm)
- ¼ cup heavy cream (optional, for richness)
- 4 tbsp butter
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the Roasted Vegetables:
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 2 parsnips, sliced
- 1 red onion, cut into wedges
- 1 zucchini or yellow squash (optional), thickly sliced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp dried herbs (thyme, rosemary, or Italian seasoning)
- Salt & pepper
🍳 Instructions:
1. Sear the Lamb Shanks:
- Pat lamb shanks dry, season generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Sear lamb shanks until browned on all sides (about 10–12 minutes). Remove and set aside.
2. Build the Flavor Base:
- In the same pot, reduce heat to medium and sauté onions, carrots, and celery for 5–7 minutes until softened.
- Stir in garlic and tomato paste; cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Pour in red wine, scraping the bottom to deglaze the pot. Let simmer for 3–5 minutes.
3. Braise the Shanks:
- Return lamb shanks to the pot. Add broth, Worcestershire, herbs, and bay leaves.
- Liquid should come about ¾ of the way up the meat (add more broth or water if needed).
- Bring to a simmer, then cover and transfer to a preheated 325°F (160°C) oven.
- Braise for 2.5 to 3 hours, until meat is tender and falling off the bone.
4. Make the Mashed Potatoes:
- Boil potatoes in salted water until fork-tender (about 15–20 minutes).
- Drain and mash with warm milk, cream, and butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Cover to keep warm.
5. Roast the Vegetables:
- While lamb finishes, toss veggies with olive oil, herbs, salt, and pepper.
- Spread on a baking sheet and roast at 400°F (200°C) for 25–30 minutes, turning halfway.
6. Serve:
- Remove lamb from the braising liquid. Skim off excess fat from the sauce (optional) and simmer on the stovetop to thicken slightly, if desired.
- Plate mashed potatoes with a lamb shank on top.
- Spoon over braising sauce.
- Serve with a side of roasted vegetables and garnish with fresh herbs if desired.
