I’m a big fan of anything braised, and these lamb shanks fit the bill. The fall-off-the-bone tenderness of the meat and the richness of the stock really turn me on. Served on a pile of grits, it’s outstanding.
Recipe information
Yield
feeds 6
Ingredients
The Shanks
The Accoutrement
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°. Grab a knife and make a couple of shallow slits through the silver skin on both sides of each shank. Sprinkle the meat on both sides with a generous amount of salt and pepper.
Step 2
Schlepp a big, heavy frying pan over to the stove and heat it over medium-high. Pour in 1/3 cup olive oil and get it hot and fragrant. Add as many shanks as will fit comfortably in the pan without crowding, and cook til richly browned, about 4 minutes. Flip them over and brown the other side. Pull the shanks out and drop them in a roasting pan. Continue browning the rest of the shanks. Once all of them are done, clean out the pan and pour in the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil.
Step 3
Drag the pan back over medium-high heat and add the onions, seasoning them with salt and pepper. Cook til soft; then toss in the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Pour in the wine and broth and bring to a boil. Add the rosemary, Mutha Sauce, and cinnamon stick. Pour everything over the shanks and cover the roasting pan tightly with foil. Shove it in the oven to braise for 1 hour; then pull it out and give the shanks a flip. Pop them back in the oven to cook for another hour.
Step 4
Once the shanks are tender and the meat is pulling away from the bone, lift them out onto a good-looking platter. Cover and keep warm. Strain the braising liquid, and skim the grease. Pour the braising liquid into a small pan and reduce by half. Keep warm.
Step 5
Line up some dinner plates and mound a portion of Garlic & Cheddar Grits in the center of each one. Set a shank into each mound, spoon some of the sauce over each shank, and bring them to the table.
