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Christmas Braised Lamb Shanks

A succulent Christmas Braised Lamb Shanks recipe infused with herbs, perfect for holiday gatherings, bringing warmth and joy to your dinner table.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Comfort Food, Holiday
Calories: 350
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 4 shanks lamb shanks
  • to taste Salt and black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 2 cups beef or vegetable broth
  • 1 cup red wine The kind you'd enjoy drinking
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
  • 1 bay leaf
  • to taste Chopped parsley for garnish Optional

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Pat the lamb shanks dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and black pepper.
Searing
  1. In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the lamb shanks until browned on all sides, about 6-8 minutes.
Vegetable Sauté
  1. Remove the shanks from the pot and sauté the diced onion, garlic, carrots, and celery for about 5 minutes until softened.
Simmering
  1. Stir in the broth, red wine, tomato paste, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low.
Braising
  1. Return the lamb shanks to the pot, cover, and braise for 2 ½ to 3 hours until the meat is tender.
Finishing Touches
  1. Once the meat is tender, remove from heat and garnish with fresh parsley before serving.

Notes

This recipe can be made a day in advance for deeper flavors. Substitute red wine with more broth or apple cider vinegar if necessary.