Greek-Style Braised Lamb Shanks
Serves 4
10 mins prep
150 mins cook
160 mins total
These Braised Lamb Shanks are inspired by Greek flavors, and the perfect recipe for a cold winter night or to impress at your next dinner party.
For the lamb shanks
For the mashed potatoes
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For the lamb shanks
Season the lamb shanks well with salt and pepper.
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Heat the oil in a large dutch oven over medium high heat. When the oil is hot add the lamb shanks to the put and sear until well browned on all 4 sides.
Once browned, remove the lamb shanks to a plate or bowl and set aside.
Add the onions and celery and cook over medium heat, stirring often, about 5-7 minutes until softened and starting to brown.
Add the garlic and cook 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Next, add the dried oregano, paprika, garlic powder, nutmeg, cinnamon sticks (or ground cinnamon), salt, pepper and bay leaves and mix to combine.
Deglaze with the wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot and let cook until it reduces slightly, 3-4 minutes. Then add the chicken broth and tomato sauce and stir to combine.
Place the lamb shanks back in the pot and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Turn to medium-low and let simmer for 5 minutes and then turn off the heat. Cover the pot with a lid, and bake in the oven at 350 for 1 1/2 hours, then remove the lid for the rest of the cooking time (check on them periodically through the cooking process in case you need to add more beef broth - the liquid will have reduced by ¼-⅓ by the time they’re done) or until they are tender enough to fall off the bone.
For the mashed potatoes
Make the mashed potatoes with about 30 minutes left in the lamb shanks cooking time.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook your potatoes until soft and fork-tender.
Once potatoes are cooked, remove from the heat and drain the water.
Put the cooked potatoes through a ricer and set aside in a bowl. Add the butter, salt, pepper, whole milk and cream cheese to the large pot over low heat. As the butter melts, stir to combine all of the ingredients together until the butter has fully melted. Turn the heat off.
Add the riced or mashed potatoes back to the pot and stir to combine. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if desired. Or, add more butter or milk if you need more creaminess. Set aside covered on the stove to keep warm.
To serve
To serve, add mashed potatoes to a plate or low bowl and add the lamb shanks on top with some of the braising liquid. Garnish with fresh parsley.
