Best 5 Braised Lamb Shanks With Tomato And Fennel Recipes

Indulge in the delectable flavors of braised lamb shanks, a classic dish that combines the richness of lamb with a symphony of aromatic vegetables and herbs. This hearty and comforting meal is perfect for a special occasion or a cozy dinner at home. Discover the culinary journey that awaits you as we explore the tantalizing recipes featured in this article.

One recipe introduces a traditional approach, slow-cooking lamb shanks in a flavorful broth infused with red wine, tomatoes, and a medley of herbs. Another recipe takes a modern twist, using a pressure cooker to create fall-off-the-bone tender lamb shanks in a fraction of the time. For those seeking a lighter option, a recipe featuring braised lamb shanks with vegetables offers a healthier alternative, packed with nutrition and vibrant flavors.

Vegetarians and vegans can also relish in the delectable flavors of braised fennel, a dish that captures the essence of this aromatic vegetable. Roasted fennel and tomatoes come together in a symphony of flavors, creating a delightful vegetarian main course or a flavorful side dish.

No matter your dietary preferences, the recipes in this article offer a culinary adventure that will tantalize your taste buds and leave you craving for more. Embark on this gastronomic journey and discover the exquisite flavors that await you.

Here are our top 5 tried and tested recipes!

EASY BRAISED LAMB SHANKS RECIPE

Easy Braised Lamb Shanks Recipe image

Super tender, perfectly spiced braised lamb shanks and vegetables in a rich red wine sauce. Cooking lamb shanks is easier than you might think. Simply season, sear, and braise! It's the perfect lamb shank recipe for a small gathering! A dry red wine is your best bet for the red wine sauce. (Merlot is my favorite here, but a Cabernet Sauvignon would work well, too.) Serve rosemary lamb shanks with couscous, Lebanese rice, or pita to soak up all the delicious sauce. Start this rich, meaty dinner with a big bright salad like arugula salad or white bean salad.

Provided by Suzy Karadsheh

Categories Entree

Time 3h

Number Of Ingredients 17

Ingredients

2 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sweet Spanish paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 American lamb shanks
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, (roughly chopped)
2 celery ribs, (chopped)
3 large carrots, (peeled and cut into large pieces)
1 pound baby potatoes, (scrubbed)
2 cups red wine like Merlot
3 cups low-sodium beef broth
28- ounce can peeled tomatoes
2 cinnamon sticks
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh rosemary

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a small bowl, add all the spice mix ingredients and mix to combine.
Pat the lamb shanks dry and season with the spice mix on all sides.
In a large Dutch oven pot like this one, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the lamb shanks on all sides (about 8 mins or so). Transfer the lamb shanks to a large tray or bowl for now. Carefully dispose of extra fat in a separate heat-safe bowl, and return the pot to heat.
Now add the onions, celery, carrots and potatoes. Saute for 5-7 minutes on medium-high, or until the vegetables gain some color. Add red wine, scrape the pot of brown bits. Cook briefly so that the wine reduces a bit.
Add the broth, tomatoes, cinnamon sticks, thyme, and rosemary. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper. Return lamb shanks back to the pot; press down to submerge. Boil for 10 minutes. Turn heat off.
Cover the pot and transfer to the 350 degrees F-heated oven. Cook in the oven for 2 1/2 hours (It's a good idea to check periodically through cooking just in case you need to add a little more liquid. When the shanks finish cooking, the liquid will have reduced to about 1/3 of what it was when you started.)
While the lamb shanks are cooking, prepare rice according to this recipe, or prepare 2-3 cups of orzo pasta according to package instructions.
Serve the lamb shanks hot with a little of the veggies and braising sauce on top of rice or orzo pasta. You might also like to prepare a side salad like this 3-ingredient Mediterranean salad or Fattoush. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts : Calories 447.5 kcal, Sugar 6.6 g, Sodium 974.4 mg, Fat 11.3 g, SaturatedFat 3 g, Carbohydrate 27.8 g, Fiber 5.3 g, Protein 44.4 g, Cholesterol 127.3 mg, UnsaturatedFat 7.1 g, ServingSize 1 serving

SLOW-COOKED LAMB SHANKS AND TOMATOES

Slow-Cooked Lamb Shanks and Tomatoes image

A long, gentle simmer slowly breaks down tougher cuts like lamb shank, leaving the meat flavorful, succulent, and tender.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories Food & Cooking Ingredients Meat & Poultry Lamb Recipes

Time 4h

Number Of Ingredients 6

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
5 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
5 large tomatoes (about 4 1/2 pounds total), coarsely chopped, or 2 cans (28 ounces each) plus 1 can (15 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes
4 lamb shanks (about 4 pounds total)

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes (if using canned, break them up) and cook until they break down, 6 to 8 minutes.
Place lamb shanks in pot in a single layer so each shank is covered by sauce. Bring to a boil, cover, then place pot in oven. Cook until meat is very tender and falling off bones, about 3 1/2 hours. Skim fat from cooking liquid and season lamb with salt and pepper. Serve lamb with sauce.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 429 g, Fat 24 g, Fiber 3 g, Protein 37 g

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH TOMATO AND FENNEL

Braised Lamb Shanks with Tomato and Fennel image

Braising lamb shanks makes them meltingly tender. Serve with Polenta for a hearty meal.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories Food & Cooking Ingredients Meat & Poultry Lamb Recipes

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

4 1 1/2-pound lamb shanks, trimmed
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium onions, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 large leek, white and light-green parts only, washed well, sliced into 1/4-inch half moons
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 cup dry red wine
2 cups homemade or low-sodium canned chicken stock
1 twenty-eight-ounce can peeled whole plum tomatoes, drained
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 dried bay leaves
2 medium fennel bulbs, sliced 1/4 inch thick

Steps:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Season lamb all over with salt and pepper. Place flour in a shallow bowl. Dredge lamb in flour, turning to coat evenly; shake off excess. Heat oil and butter in an 8-quart Dutch oven or skillet over medium heat. Working in two batches, cook until shanks are well browned, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer shanks to a large plate; drain off all but 2 tablespoons fat from the skillet.
Place skillet over medium heat; add onions and leek, and saute until they are lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Add garlic; cook 4 minutes more. Add red wine; deglaze pan by scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Return shanks to skillet, and add chicken stock, tomatoes, tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil; cover, and place in oven. Braise 2 hours; add fennel, and cook 30 minutes.
Using a slotted spatula, transfer shanks and vegetables to a large bowl. Cover; set aside. Using a ladle, skim fat from surface of cooking liquid; cook over medium heat until liquid is thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. Return shanks and vegetables to pan; cook until heated through. Remove from heat, and season with salt and pepper.

TOMATO AND FENNEL BRAISED LAMB SHANKS

Tomato and Fennel Braised Lamb Shanks image

From The Cook's Book of Intense Flavors by Robert and Molly Krause: The versatile sweet tomato makes a great base for anise-flavored fennel and tangy mustard. Plus, you can employ many different cooking techniques to both the tomato and fennel. Use them both raw for a fresh salad with a Dijon fennel seed vinaigrette. Roast the tomato and fennel and season them with mustard seed for a brothy soup. Puree all three ingredients for a creamy soup. Or go the route of the application recipe and season a braised lamb dish with this ingredient combo. These flavors are well suited to fish, chicken, beef, or lamb. This dish needs several hours in the oven so start early if you plan to eat it the same day you cook it. Serve these shanks in a shallow bowl with something such as polenta to absorb the delicious braising liquid.

Provided by College Girl

Categories Lamb/Sheep

Time 3h15m

Yield 4 shanks, 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 17

Ingredients

4 1/2 lbs lamb shanks, trimmed
salt and pepper
1/2 cup flour, all purpose
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup dry red wine, such as cab sav
1/4 cup whole grain mustard
2 onions, yellow sliced into 1/4 in. wedges
1 leek, sliced in half lengthwise and cut into 1/4 in. pieces (don't use dark green part)
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup Pernod (or other anise liqueur)
2 cups chicken stock
1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
2 bay leaves
2 bulbs fennel, cut into 1/4 in slices

Steps:

Preheat oven to 375.
Season all sides of the lamb shanks with salt and pepper and then dredge in flour to coat.
In a large skillet, heat 1/4 c of olive oil and the butter over medium high heat. Sear the lamb until brown, turning to cook all sides. Transfer shanks to a roasting pan.
In the skillet, spoon out all but a couple of spoonfuls of fat. Over medium heat, deglaze the pan with the red wine, stirring to remove the stuck scraps. Whisk in the mustard and cook for 2 minutes. Coat the lamb shanks with the red wine-mustard mixture and set aside.
In a large, clean skillet, heat the remaining 2 T of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and leek and cook until tender, 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
Add the Pernod and increase the heat to medium-high, cooking for 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes, tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaves; stir to incorporate the tomato paste. Add the sliced fennel to the roasting pan with the lamb. Pour the skillet's contents over the lamb and fennel and cover with aluminum foil.
Braise for 2 1/2 bours. Skim any fat off the surface of the liquid. Serve braised shanks with vegetables and cooking broth.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 1649.8, Fat 92, SaturatedFat 32.9, Cholesterol 477.9, Sodium 652.7, Carbohydrate 45.5, Fiber 8.4, Sugar 12.2, Protein 144.3

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH FENNEL, TOMATOES, TURNIPS AND CARROTS

Braised Lamb Shanks with Fennel, Tomatoes, Turnips and Carrots image

Categories Lamb Tomato Braise Marinate High Fiber Fennel Leek Carrot Turnip Red Wine Winter Parsley Jam or Jelly Bon Appétit

Yield Makes 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 24

Ingredients

Topping
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon drained green peppercorns in brine, coarsely chopped
Lamb
1 14 1/2-ounce can low-salt chicken broth
1 14 1/2-ounce can beef broth
1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup dry red wine
2/3 cup red currant jelly
2 teaspoons herbes de Provence
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
3 garlic cloves, minced
6 lamb shanks (each about 1 pound)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound plum tomatoes, each cut into 4 wedges, seeded
2 large turnips, peeled, cut into 3/4-inch-thick wedges
2 large fennel bulbs, each cut into 4 wedges
3 large carrots, peeled, cut diagonally into 3/4-inch-thick slices
1 cup chopped leek (white and pale green parts only)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 tablespoon tomato paste

Steps:

For topping: Mix all ingredients in medium bowl to blend. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
For lamb: Whisk chicken broth, beef broth, 1/2 cup wine, 1/3 cup currant jelly, herbes de Provence, vinegar and garlic in large glass baking dish to blend. Add lamb shanks; turn to coat. Cover and chill overnight, turning occasionally.
Preheat oven to 325°F. Remove lamb from marinade; reserve marinade. Pat lamb dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Working in batches, add lamb; cook until brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to large roasting pan. Add all vegetables to roasting pan.
Pour reserved marinade into same skillet. Bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Pour over lamb. Cover; bake until lamb and vegetables are very tender, turning occasionally, about 2 hours. Using slotted spoon, transfer lamb and vegetables to large serving bowl. Tent with foil.
Spoon fat off top of cooking liquid. Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour. Stir until golden, about 5 minutes. Whisk in cooking liquid. Add 1/3 cup wine, 1/3 cup jelly and tomato paste. Boil until sauce thickens enough to coat spoon, whisking occasionally, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce, then topping, over lamb and vegetables.

Tips:

Sear the lamb shanks: Searing the lamb shanks before braising them adds a rich, caramelized flavor to the dish. Be sure to pat the shanks dry with paper towels before searing them, and use a heavy-bottomed pot or skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the shanks for 2-3 minutes per side, or until they are browned on all sides.
Use a good quality red wine: The red wine used in this recipe should be one that you would enjoy drinking on its own. A full-bodied red wine, such as a Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot, will add a rich, complex flavor to the dish.
Don't overcrowd the pot: When braising the lamb shanks, be sure not to overcrowd the pot. If the shanks are too crowded, they will not cook evenly and the sauce will not be as flavorful. If necessary, cook the shanks in batches.
Simmer for at least 2 hours: The lamb shanks need to simmer for at least 2 hours, or until they are fall-off-the-bone tender. The longer the shanks simmer, the more flavorful the sauce will be.
Serve with mashed potatoes or rice: Braised lamb shanks are traditionally served with mashed potatoes or rice. The mashed potatoes or rice will help to soak up the delicious sauce.

Conclusion:

Braised lamb shanks are a classic comfort food dish that is perfect for a special occasion or a weeknight meal. The lamb shanks are fall-off-the-bone tender and the sauce is rich and flavorful. This dish is sure to please everyone at the table.