How to Cook Lamb Shanks

Lamb shanks. Don't let them fool you, although they do require a bit of know how to prepare, they are not as scary as they seem. With a little knowledge under your belt you can take lovely lamb shanks and make a gorgeous meal with relatively little effort.

The shank is the portion of the leg from the knee down to the top of the hoof. Because it is a heavily used muscle, it is considered a tough cut of meat. But no worries, this simply means you will be able to use one of the easiest methods to cook them up.

Braising is one of the easiest methods to learn. You simply put all of your ingredients into one large pot with a flavorful liquid and cook in the oven for a couple of hours. This method works great for nearly all tough cuts of meat. The following steps are great place to start with lamb shanks and won't cost you a lot of money.

To make traditional braised lamb shanks you will need the following ingredients:

4 lamb shanks, bone in

• 4 lamb shanks, bone in
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 2 large carrots, diced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic, about 4 large cloves
• 2 cups drinkable red wine
• 1 cup low sodium beef broth
• 1 cup tomato pasteWater

You will also need a large 7 quart dutch oven or similar deep oven proof cooking vessel. Set your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, preheat the dutch oven on the stove using medium high heat. Meanwhile, mix up the olive oil, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Pour this mixture of the lamb shanks and coat each shank evenly. Don't be afraid to get in there and use your hands!

Arrange each shank evenly in the bottom on the dutch oven. Cook for 8 minutes and flip them over to cook another 8 minutes until lovely and browned. Once browned, lower the heat to medium low, and remove your shanks from the pot. Set aside covered with foil.

Now add your onions, celery, carrots and garlic to the pot. Cook, stirring every minute or so, for 7 to 8 minutes. Then add your wine, beef broth, and tomato paste. Cook, stirring often for another 10 minutes. Now it is time to add your lovely lamb back to the pot!

Arrange the shanks making sure they are evenly spaced on the bottom of the pot. Your cooking liquid should just barely cover the shanks by about  an inch. If your shanks still seem to be peeking out from the liquid, go ahead and add a bit of regular tap water until they are covered.

Cover with the lid and put the whole pot into the oven. Set a timer for 2 hours and relax while the smells of a gorgeous meal waft through the house.

With some knowledge you can take lamb shanks and make a gorgeous meal with little effort