Easy Braised Moroccan Lamb Shanks - Recipe Winners (2024)

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Easy Braised Moroccan Lamb Shanks - Recipe Winners (1)

Braised Moroccan lamb shanks is a comforting, spicy and flavoursome braise that makes for perfect comfort food.

This is exactly the type of dish you want when the weather turns cold and something hearty, and warming is called for.

Our weather turned with a vengeance last week. The fire was lit and the smell of the lamb shanks cooking filled our home with the promise of a delicious meal coming up.

We dined liked kings with each shank served on a bed of couscous. The pumpkin soaks up all the glorious juices and becomes soft and the perfect partner for the tender lamb.

The bonus to this dish was the extra sauce that was left over. We served it the following day on some pappardelle pasta with a gremolata of chopped Italian parsley, lemon zest and finely grated garlic. Bonus meal in one!

Easy Braised Moroccan Lamb Shanks - Recipe Winners (2)

Lamb shanks

Look for the front shanks which are always smaller than the longer to cook, and generally much plumper looking rear shanks. We learned the hard way that even though the rear shanks can look much meatier, they are much, much tougher than the slimmer, front shanks.

We’d gone to the local farmers market and came across a farmer selling these devine looking, really plump and meaty lamb shanks at an incredibly great price.

Our thoughts turned to all sorts of braises for long slow cooking and delicious meat. Naturally we bought some for now, and some to freeze for later (let us tell you that Cooper dined like a king for 4 dinners).

We set about braising them in something or other that now quite escapes us both, and waited and waited, and prodded and prodded with a fork willing the meat to become tender.

That meal was a complete fail, and a good lesson regarding lamb shanks.

The rear legs apparently do much more work than the front and are consequently tougher and therefore take forever to cook (ours never got to the ‘fall off the bone’ stage,) so the lesson is bigger, is not always better!

  • Easy Braised Moroccan Lamb Shanks - Recipe Winners (3)
  • Easy Braised Moroccan Lamb Shanks - Recipe Winners (4)

Preserved lemons

Preserved lemons bring a lot of great flavour to any braise. They’re intensely lemony and add amazing depth and favour to loads of different recipes.

They’re beyond easy to make but time is the key to getting the lemons depth of flavour.

Thankfully today many supermarkets stock preserved lemons but you should take the tip and make some to have on hand. You won’t be sorry!

  • Easy Braised Moroccan Lamb Shanks - Recipe Winners (5)
  • Easy Braised Moroccan Lamb Shanks - Recipe Winners (6)

Cartouche

Trust the French to come up with the easy and practical cartouche method as a solution to stop meat drying out and liquid evaporating too quickly.

A baking paper (parchment paper) disc of paper is cut out with a small hole in the centre to allow some steam to escape.

The cartouche lid slows the rate of evaporation while still encouraging an even, steady distribution of heat. It is especially useful for slow cooking methods such as these braised Moroccan lamb shanks.

Easy Braised Moroccan Lamb Shanks - Recipe Winners (7)

Watch How To Make Braised Moroccan Lamb Shanks

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What’s your favourite way to cook lamb shanks? We would love to hear from you in the comments below when you make these easy braised Moroccan lamb shanks.

Easy Braised Moroccan Lamb Shanks - Recipe Winners (13)

Yield: 4 serves

Braised Moroccan Lamb Shanks

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Braised Moroccan lamb shanks is a perfect meal for when the weather turns cold and bleak. There is a bonus extra with the left over sauce served on some pasta with a fresh gremolata for another meal. Perfect! Who doesn't like a two in one recipe?

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 cup plain(all purpose) flour- optional
  • 4 lamb shanks
  • 1 large red onion, cut into thick slivers
  • 1 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 long red chilli, thinly sliced
  • 3/4 preserved lemon, flesh discarded and sliced into thin slices
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon fine salt
  • freshly milled black pepper to taste
  • 1kg (1 pound) piece of Kent pumpkin, cut into wedges
  • steamed couscous or quinoa to serve - optional

Instructions

  • preheat oven to 180c (355f)
  • lightly dust lamb shanks with flour
  • heat oil in a large pan over medium to high heat
  • add lamb and cook, turning occasionally till browned
  • combine tomatoes, onion, garlic, coriander, cumin, preserved lemon, salt, pepper and 1 cup of water
  • pour over lamb shanks
  • cover with baking paper cartouche and lid- see notes above
  • cook on middle shelf of oven for 1 1/2 hours
  • remove pan and add pumpkin pieces, recovering with cartouche and lid
  • bake for a further 30 minutes or until shanks are fork tender and meat is nearly falling off the bone
  • serve with your choice of couscous, quinoa or rice
  • enjoy!

Nutrition Information

Amount Per Serving Calories 0Total Fat 0gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 0mgCarbohydrates 0gFiber 0gSugar 0gProtein 0g

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Easy Braised Moroccan Lamb Shanks - Recipe Winners (2024)

FAQs

Which cooking method is best for the shanks? ›

Beef shank steak is a tough cut of meat that requires long, slow cooking to break down the connective tissues and make it tender. One of the most popular ways to cook beef shank steak is by braising it.

Should you wash lamb shanks before cooking? ›

There is no need to rinse raw lamb before cooking because this creates a cross-contamination hazard and is not necessary.

What device do chefs use to braise lamb shanks? ›

About braised lamb shanks

You'll need a large Dutch oven or heavy pot with a lid. The lamb shanks are browned on the stove first and then slow cooked in the oven for a couple of hours.

Why aren't my lamb shanks tender? ›

The secret to cooking lamb shanks is to cook them low and slow, until the meat is fall-apart tender. Lamb shanks have quite a bit of connective tissue that requires cooking in a liquid or moist environment for several hours before the meat will become soft.

What temperature should lamb shanks be cooked to? ›

An exceptional dinner presentation. Carve against the grain for the best texture.
SizeCooking MethodInternal Temp*
5–7lbsRoast 325˚ Fmed-rare 145˚F medium 160˚F well-done 170˚F

Why do you sear lamb shanks? ›

The whole shank doesn't need to be thawed to sear, just the outside quarter inch or so. I certainly recommend doing it, it'll make your sauce much deeper in flavor if you build it in the pan you seared the meat in. Trying to sear something that's been cooked to a fall-apart texture is like searing wet mulch.

Should lamb shanks be covered in liquid? ›

You want to cover the lamb shanks in the liquids, so ensure you press down the shanks if needed into the liquid before cooking.

What pairs well with lamb shanks? ›

Best 9 Side Dishes To Serve With Lamb Dinners
  • Greek Salad.
  • Couscous.
  • Mashed Potatoes.
  • Roasted Zucchini.
  • Greek Style Lemon Roasted Potatoes.
  • Mediterranean yellow rice.
  • Tzatziki sauce.
  • Truffle Parmesan French Fries.
Jul 25, 2022

How do you braise in the oven? ›

Add stock or water halfway up the meat you're braising and bring to a boil, then immediately lower to a simmer. Once it's simmering, you can add in aromatics. Cover and keep it at a low simmer on the stovetop or in the oven at 350 degrees F. Cooking low and slow breaks down the tough meat so it's tender and delicious.

Can you braise meat in aluminum pan? ›

A heavy, lidded pot like a Dutch oven is an excellent all-purpose choice because it works on the stove and in the oven, but it's not required. Professional kitchens knock out ridiculous braises every day in cheap aluminum pans covered with foil, and so can you.

What is the best cut of lamb for braising? ›

Though far less glorified than rib chops or legs, lamb shoulder is explosively delicious and juicy – also, cheap. Like the shoulders of pigs and cows, it is a hardworking muscle rippled with intramuscular fat, which makes it ideal for stewing or braising.

What are the two cooking methods used to braise? ›

Braising is a combination of covered roasting and steaming.

Is it better to cook lamb slow or fast? ›

Lower temp = more succulent meat – Tough cuts like lamb shoulder need slow-cooking to tenderise them. The lower the roasting temperature, the less total moisture evaporation and thus juicier meat.

Do you have to remove the Silverskin from lamb shanks? ›

I sometimes also loosen or remove the silverskin that surrounds the muscles, although removing too much of it will cause the shank to fall apart. After cooking, be sure to skim off as much of the liquid fat as you can before serving. A little fat is ok, but too much will ruin the mouthfeel of the dish, in my opinion.

Does lamb get more tender the longer you cook it? ›

The leg and rack of lamb are perfect for herb-crusting and oven-roasting; since the shank and shoulder are a bit tougher, they fare well in stews or braises—the long cook time allows them to significantly break down and become fork-tender.

Which cooking method would you use to cook a shank cross cut? ›

Shank Cross-Cut | Lean. A cross-section of the leg, which is used extensively for movement. As a result, it is typically braised to make flavorful, fork-tender dishes such as Osso Buco.

What cooking method is most appropriate for preparing the shank of a large animal? ›

The shank has a bone running through the center, which provides a lot of flavors as it cooks. Lamb shank best responds to a slow-cooking method, such as braising or stewing, to break down connective tissues and become tender and juicy.

Which tenderizing technique would you use for beef shank? ›

Braising works by slowly melting connective tissue and fat from the meat, plus the moist cooking environment keeps the meet tender. The end result of this long and slow cooking process makes meet that literally falls off the bone and a braising liquid that is incredibly rich and flavorful.

What is a shank cross cut method of cooking? ›

Cross cut shank is best cooked using slow cooking methods such as braising or stewing. This helps to tenderize the tough meat and extract its rich flavor. You can braise cross cut shank in a flavorful liquid, such as beef broth or red wine, until it becomes tender and succulent.

References

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