Spiced Lamb Shanks With Orange and Honey

By David Tanis

Published April 3, 2018

  • Karsten Moran for The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
About 2½ hours
Rating
4(135)
Comments
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There are many ways to cook lamb shanks throughout the year, but these taste like the beginning of spring. The orange fragrance and the honey’s perfume are complemented by the similarly sweet carrots and turnips. A shower of freshly snipped herbs adorns the dish just before serving. The recipe is easy to prepare in two parts: The shanks are simmered to tenderness first, which produces the broth. This can be done several hours ahead or up to 2 days in advance. Then, the bones are removed, and the meat can be finished in the sauce.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings

FOR THE LAMB SHANKS

  • 6 meaty lamb shanks (about 6 pounds total)

  • Salt and pepper

  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds

  • ½ teaspoon fennel seeds

  • ½ teaspoon coriander seeds

  • 1 large onion, cut into thick slices

  • 2 whole cloves

  • 1 thyme sprig

  • 1 bay leaf

FOR THE SAUCE

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 large onion, diced (about 1 ½ cups)

  • Salt and pepper

  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic

  • Pinch saffron

  • Pinch cayenne

  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste

  • 2 tablespoons honey

  • Zest of 1 orange, peeled into wide strips

  • ½ cup orange juice

  • ½ cup white wine

  • 1 tablespoon arrowroot or cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons cold water

FOR SERVING

  • 2 tablespoons butter

  • 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch batons

  • 1 pound turnips, peeled and cut into wedges

  • Salt

  • 2 tablespoons roughly chopped parsley

  • 2 tablespoons roughly chopped mint

  • 2 tablespoons roughly chopped dill

  • Handful of small basil leaves

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Cook the lamb shanks: Season shanks generously with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large pot and add cumin seed, fennel seed, coriander seed, onion, cloves, thyme and bay leaf. Pour in enough water to cover shanks, place pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Put on the lid, reduce to a simmer and cook for 1 to 1 ½ hours, until meat is very tender when probed with the tip of a paring knife.

  2. Step 2

    Remove shanks from pot and place on a baking sheet to cool. Strain the broth into a bowl, and skim off any rising fat. Measure 4 ½ cups broth and set aside. When shanks are cool enough to handle, gently remove the bone from each with your hands, leaving the meat in one or two large pieces.

  3. Step 3

    Make the sauce: In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, warm the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until softened and slightly browned. Add garlic, saffron, cayenne, tomato paste and honey and stir to incorporate.

  4. Step 4

    Add orange zest, orange juice, broth and wine to the pot, and bring to a boil. Turn heat to a brisk simmer and return the meat to the pot. Simmer for 20 minutes, until broth has reduced by an inch or so. Taste broth and adjust seasoning. Add arrowroot mixture and cook for a minute or two, until slightly thickened.

  5. Step 5

    Meanwhile, cook the vegetables: In a separate pot, melt butter over medium heat. Fill the pot with 1 inch of water. Add carrots and turnips, salt lightly, cover and turn heat to high. Cook for 10 minutes, or until probed with the tip of a paring knife.

  6. Step 6

    To serve, transfer meat and sauce to a large, deep platter or serving dish. With a slotted spoon arrange vegetables around the meat. Sprinkle with parsley, mint, dill and basil.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
135 user ratings
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Comments

Charles Michener

You'll get deeper flavor (and cut back on the braising time and fat) if you brown the shanks first, remove the fat, deglaze the pan with the aromatics and some white wine, and toast the spice seeds. Then put the lamb back into the pot, cover with water and proceed. Orange strips are unpleasant in the final dish, so I finish with a gremolata of orange zest and the chopped herbs, scattered on top. Go easy on the honey (1 tbs is enough for me) unless you have an out-of-control sweet tooth.

Chris B

Sounds excellent. I assume the reserved broth also goes in at step 4? Or am I missing something here?

Mare

Gremolata (freshly grated horseradish, parsley, garlic, lemon & orange zests) sprinkled atop the lamb makes the flavor pop even more.

Cristina

Wonderful! The mix of flavors was perfect. Well worth the effort. Cooked as is.

terry94705

This was terrific! I needed a recipe that cooked in a couple of hours (not 3 or 4) and I had most of the ingredients on hand. No dill or basil but it was fine without it. It was more delicately flavored than some other recipes I’ve tried but it had lovely complexity. I should add that it was a beautiful presentation; looked even prettier than the photo. The caramel I de onions, orange, tomato and saffron made a gorgeous red-amber broth. I will definitely use this recipe for company.

Hart

Not a hit at our house. I baked the lamb shanks in the oven at 325 for 2 hours, and chilled them overnight in the broth. The next afternoon I deboned the shanks, skimmed the fat and finished the sauce. We served the lamb, carrots, turnips, and herbs over couscous. The meat was very tender but to our taste there was something a little off with the lamb, orange, saffron, parsley, mint, basil and dill combo. Disappointing considering the cost of lamb shanks and the time involved

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