Turkish cuisine · Meat & Kebab

Lamb Shank

Lamb shank braised for hours in the oven with onions, tomato paste and thyme until the meat falls off the bone.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 4 lamb shanks (about 400 g each)
• 2 onions
• 5 garlic cloves
• 2 carrots
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp red pepper paste
• 400 ml stock
• 150 ml red wine
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Pat the lamb shanks dry, season all over with salt and pepper, and let rest for 20 min. at room temperature; preheat the oven to 160 °C.
2. Cut the onions into wedges, slice the carrots thickly, and crush the garlic cloves, keeping them unpeeled and ready.
3. Heat the olive oil until very hot in a Dutch oven and sear the shanks all over for 8–10 min. until deeply browned; remove and set aside.
4. Sauté the onions, carrots and garlic in the frying fat for 5 min., add the tomato and red pepper paste and fry for 1 min., then deglaze with the red wine, scraping up all the browned bits.
5. Add the stock, thyme and bay leaves, return the shanks to the pot – the liquid should cover them halfway – and braise covered in the oven for 2.5 hrs., turning halfway through.
6. Remove the lid, let brown uncovered for 15 min., reduce the braising liquid on the stove for 5 min. until glossy, and serve the shanks with the sauce and rice pilaf.