My Ambrosia: Braised Lamb Shanks

My maternal grandmother, who lived to the ripe old age of 103, always referred to oxtail stew as her ‘ambrosia’, aka Food of the Gods.  While her oxtail stew was excellent, braised lamb shanks are the pinnacle for me.  The rich, sticky sauce is so complex and full of flavour, it’s difficult to believe it’s near-effortless.

It was that grandmother who introduced us to lamb shanks at their cottage in Reddington Shores, Florida.  We had never heard of lamb shanks, it simply wasn’t a cut that was readily available in our area in the 70s.  My entire family (all of them lamb lovers) were bowled over with how good they were, and a few years later, we began seeing them in supermarkets here.

Unfortunately, lamb shanks (along with oxtails) are no longer the steal they used to be.  Now that these and other off-prime cuts have become en vogue, the demand has skyrocketed.  We may not eat these as often as we’d like, but when we do it’s always the same conclusion: ambrosia.  Thanks, Grandma S!     

3 lamb shanks

Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 t vegetable oil

1 medium onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

¼ c tomato paste

2 c (approx) low-sodium chicken stock
1 T chopped fresh rosemary (or 1 t dried & crumbled)

1 bay leaf

Season lamb shanks with salt & pepper. 

In a Dutch oven over medium heat, brown the lamb shanks in 1 t of the vegetable oil.  Remove lamb shanks to a plate, lower the heat to medium low and add the remaining vegetable oil to pan, if needed.  Add onion, cooking slowly, until all the brown bits (fond) have been picked up by the onion.  Add the garlic, cooking for another minute or two.  Put the shanks back into the pan, and add remaining ingredients.

Bring to a boil, then cover & cook on stove top at a medium simmer for two hours, turning shanks over at half time .  Remove shanks to plate (meat should be fall-off-the-bone tender), cover with foil, and keep warm in a low oven.

Bring the juices to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium-high, and continue cooking until the volume is reduced by half.  Spoon the juices over the shanks, and serve.

Excellent made a day ahead, too.

Braised Spring Lamb Shoulder Chops

Lamb is one of my favourite meats.  Unfortunately, we don’t eat it as often as we used to, as it’s price has climbed dramatically in the last couple of years.  Shoulder chops are the least expensive option, but are a fairly tough cut, so braising is the best way to handle them.

The resulting juices are incredibly rich and complex; don’t waste a drop.   

2 spring lamb shoulder chops, patted dry

Salt & pepper

2 t olive oil

½ c chicken stock

1 fat clove garlic, minced

1 small tomato, skinned, seeded and diced

1 T tomato paste

4 oil-cured olives, pitted and sliced finely

1 T roughly-chopped fresh thyme (or about ¾ t dried thyme)

½ t sugar

Juice of half a lemon

Season the chops lightly with salt and pepper.  Add the olive oil to a cool frying pan; place over medium heat, and add chops once hot.  Brown chops on both sides until golden, approximately 5 minutes per side.  Remove chops to plate.

Allow frying pan to cool slightly.  Add chicken stock, garlic, tomato, tomato paste, olives, thyme, sugar and lemon.  Put back on heat and bring to a simmer.  Add chops and any accumulated juices.  Cover and simmer over low heat for 1-1/2 hours; turning the chops over half way through cooking, and spooning the juices over the meat to keep it moist.  Add a bit more chicken stock if needed.

Serve with rice or potatoes to soak up the delicious juices, and a green veg.