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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Braising is a combination of covered roasting and steaming.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.