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spring hill ranch lemon-mint braised lamb shanks

WileyP avatar
Recipe by
Wiley P
@WileyP
Sierra Vista, AZ

Since we raise our own beef, Sis and I rarely have lamb. We learned to love it in our youth, though. In northern Nevada, where we both spent many years, lamb is a way of life with our Basque friends. Lamb shanks are some of our favorite cuts. We just got a batch of them from some friends in Colorado, and they had been cut into 1" sections, something a bit unusual for us. I know the Chinese often like to chop their chicken pieces, but haven't seen it done with shanks. I really enjoyed using them in a braising recipe like this, though, and they were much easier to deal with on the plate, too.

yield 4 serving(s)
prep time 30 Min
cook time 2 Hr
method Roast

Ingredients For spring hill ranch lemon-mint braised lamb shanks

  • 3-4 lb
    lamb shanks (about 4-6), trimmed of excess fat and membrane, chopped into about 1" pieces
  • 3 Tbsp
    all purpose flour
  • 2 tsp
    kosher salt (or 1 teaspoon table salt)
  • 2 tsp
    freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 Tbsp
    vegetable or canola oil
  • 1 md
    white or yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 md
    carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch segments
  • 1/2 c
    coarsely chopped fresh parsley (or 1/4 cup dried parsley flakes)
  • 4 clove
    garlic, minced
  • 2 Tbsp
    tomato paste (low sodium preferred)
  • zest
    of 1 lemon (reserved for later in the recipe)
  • 1
    lemon (the zested one), cut into quarters
  • 2 Tbsp
    minced fresh mint (or 1 tablespoons lightly crushed dried mint leaves), divided
  • healthy pinch
    kosher salt (or a light pinch of table salt)
  • 2 c
    dry white wine
  • 3 c
    low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 tsp
    freshly coarse ground black pepper

How To Make spring hill ranch lemon-mint braised lamb shanks

  • 1
    Note: You can use whole lamb shanks in this recipe if you want. Serve these on a bed of mashed potatoes or some noodles, or with a side of mixed vegetables.
  • 2
    Adjust an oven rack to the center position and preheat the oven to 350°.
  • 3
    In a large bowl, sprinkle the shank pieces with the flour, salt and pepper, tossing them to coat.
  • 4
    In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil. In batches, brown the shank pieces on all sides, returning them to the bowl as you start additional batches.
  • 5
    Once all the shank pieces are browned, drain off all but 2 Tablespoons of the drippings and return the skillet to the heat. Add the onion, carrots, parsley, garlic, tomato paste, quartered lemon, 1 Tablespoon of the mint and a pinch of salt to the pan. Stir/Sauté for 3-4 minutes to slightly soften the vegetables. Add the wine and chicken broth to the pan. Stir to loosen and browned bits from the pan. Bring the liquid to a simmer and then transfer the vegetables and liquid to a deep braising pan. Add the lamb shank pieces to the braising pan, ensuring they are all covered by the liquid.
  • 6
    Cover the pan and place it in your preheated oven. Braise for 1-1/2 hours. Remove the lid and continue braising until the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender, about another 1/2 hour. Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to sit for 15 minutes.
  • 7
    Skim off any excess fat. Add the reserved lemon zest and the remaining Tablespoons of mint. Stir and adjust the seasonings as needed. Serve.
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Categories & Tags for Spring Hill Ranch Lemon-Mint Braised Lamb Shanks:

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