Best 4 Middle Eastern Style Lamb Shanks Recipes

PERSIAN LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Sprinkle shanks with salt and pepper.
• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large heavy based pot over medium high heat. Brown shanks all over, 2 at a time. Remove from pot.
• Discard excess oil, clean pot if it's very dirty.
• Add 1 tbsp oil. Cook onion and garlic for 2 minutes until translucent.
• Stir in the turmeric, cinnamon, tomatoes, and salt.
• Add chicken broth and stir well.
• Place shanks in pot, then add water as needed so the shanks are 3/4 or fully covered, but no more than 1L/4 cups water. (Note 2)
• If shanks not fully submerged, make a cartouche (baking paper lid, Note 3).
• Bring up to the boil. Place the cartouche snugly on surface (if using), cover pot leaving a little crack (to ensure it doesn't boil over).
• Turn heat down so simmering very gently. Cook 1.5 hours, turning every 30 minutes.
• Add cardamom and nutmeg into liquid.
• Cook for another 1 hour until meat is very tender and falling off the bone.
• Carefully remove meat from liquid into a bowl and cover with foil.

MIDDLE EASTERN-STYLE LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the shanks and cook, turning for 5 minutes or until brown. Remove to a plate.
• Add the onion and garlic, and cook gently for about 5 minutes or until soft.
• Add the spices and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds.
• Return the lamb shanks to the saucepan with the tomatoes and stock, and bring to the boil.
• Reduce the heat to a medium-low simmer and cook for one hour covered.
• Uncover and cook a further 30 minutes or until the lamb is tender.
• Remove the lamb and keep warm, increase the heat under the saucepan to high and bring the stock mixture to the boil.
• Boil, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes or until the sauce thickens (it WILL happen and is much nicer than a flour thickened sauce!).
• Sprinkle with fresh coriander leaves and serve with yogurt on the side.

LAMB SHANK MADRAS

Steps:

• Tip the yogurt, cumin, turmeric, 1 tsp sea salt and the lamb shanks into a large mixing bowl, then mix to coat the lamb. Cover and pop in the fridge for a couple of hrs, or overnight if you have time.
• Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 4. Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish over a medium heat, add the shanks and brown all over for 10 mins, then remove from the dish. Scatter the onions into the dish and fry for 10 mins until golden brown. Stir in the curry powder, garlic and ginger and cook for 3 mins until aromatic. Add the lamb shanks back to the dish along with the tomatoes, chillies, curry leaves, cardamom pods and lime pickle. Give everything a good stir and pour over the stock. Bring up to a simmer, cover, then transfer to the oven and cook for 3 hrs.
• Remove the lid and cook for 1 hr more - this will help reduce some of the liquid and char any exposed meat. When the lamb is very tender, leave to rest for 30 mins or leave to cool completely and reheat the next day for the best flavour. Can be made up to two days in advance. Scatter with chopped mint and serve with naan bread and rice on the side.

MEDITERRANEAN LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottom saucepan. Add the shanks and sear over medium heat until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
• Add the onion, garlic, celery root, carrots, olives and ginger. Lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove vegetables from pot and set aside.
• Add the wine, increase the heat to high and simmer until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 5 minutes.
• Add the remaining ingredients, except coriander leaves and parsley leaves. Stir to combine. Return the shanks and vegetables to the saucepan. Cover partly and simmer gently over medium-low heat until the meat begins to fall off the bone, about 3 hours.
• Meanwhile, combine the coriander and the parsley in a bowl. Set aside. Remove the bay leaf from the saucepan and discard. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide the shanks among 4 plates. Ladle the sauce over each shank. Garnish with the coriander-parsley mixture and serve immediately. Serve with white bean puree (recipe below).