Braised Lamb Shanks With Peppers

Recipe from Annette Gertner

Adapted by Florence Fabricant

Published May 4, 2022

Braised Lamb Shanks With Peppers
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist; Simon Andrews.
Total Time
3 hours
Rating
4(240)
Comments
Read comments

Hearty and aromatic, this braised lamb dish, adapted from my mother, Annette Gertner, takes inspiration from the Middle East by way of Eastern Europe. It simmers mostly unattended and even benefits from being made earlier in the day — or even a day or two in advance — and reheated. The four shanks yield four copious portions. (The recipe will serve six if every guest does not insist on having a bone.) Orzo alongside will sop up the sauce. —Florence Fabricant

Featured in: What My Mother’s Cooking Taught Me

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings
  • 4small-to-medium lamb shanks (3 to 3½ pounds), excess fat and silver skin removed
  • 2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt and ground black pepper
  • 1large green bell pepper, cored, ribs removed, cut in ½-inch strips
  • 1large red bell pepper, cored, ribs removed, cut in ½-inch strips
  • 4small yellow onions (about 1 pound), peeled and quartered vertically
  • 3large garlic cloves, smashed
  • 1teaspoon dill seed, crushed in a mortar
  • 1teaspoon paprika, preferably Hungarian
  • ½teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1cup chicken stock
  • ½cup dry red wine
  • 3tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1tablespoon dried oregano
  • 3tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2tablespoons minced fresh dill
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

540 calories; 33 grams fat; 14 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 15 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 16 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 41 grams protein; 1073 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Pat dry lamb shanks. In a heavy casserole or Dutch oven that will hold all the shanks, heat oil on medium-high. Add lamb shanks and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove to a platter. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low.

  2. Step 2

    Add bell peppers and onions to the pan. Sauté, stirring, until the vegetables wilt and just begin to color, 5 to 6 minutes. Add garlic, dill seed, paprika and cinnamon. Stir. Add stock and wine. Bring to a simmer. Stir in tomato paste and oregano. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in lemon juice. Return lamb shanks to the pot along with any juices on the platter. Cover them with a piece of parchment or waxed paper, cover pot with lid, reduce heat to very low and cook about 2 hours, basting the shanks occasionally and turning them at least once until the meat is very tender when pierced with a knife.

  3. Step 3

    Remove shanks from the pot. Increase heat to medium and reduce sauce by about a third, about 10 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Return shanks to the pot, baste and reheat. Serve directly from the casserole or transfer to a serving dish. Strew with fresh dill before serving.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

4 out of 5
240 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

Pups224

I know that messing with your mother's recipe is sacrilegious, but I would cook the tomato past for a minute or so with the cinnamon and paprika. It brings out the flavor.

mosaic

Of course you can make it in a crock pot or Instant pot. Even more astonishing, you can refer to the instruction book that came with your device for settings/times for braising lamb shanks. If by some remote chance the manual for your device omitted braising lamb shanks there are thousands of recipes for braising lamb shanks in slow cookers and pressure cookers that will provide you with the settings/times.

Heembo

This was delicious and quite easy. I followed the recipe ingredients and prep but cooked it in a large dutch oven, in the oven at 325 for 2-1/2 hours. I did not need to reduce the sauce. I did not put any wax paper over the shanks. It turned out great. The fresh dill is essential.

CBCcooks

I've made this twice now, and it's so delicious. This time, I put it in the oven at 325 for 2 hours (Le Creuset braiser), turning/basting the shanks twice, and it was perfect! I also added the tomato paste after the vegetables and spices for a few minutes before adding all the liquid. Served over wide egg noodles. Makes a wonderful special occasion dinner!

Dan

Didn't understand the use of both the parchment cartouche and covering with the lid so I skipped the paper. I always understood the cartouche to take the place of a tilted lid. Made with Feher Ozon paprika peppers from the garden and a chianti classico.

Tammy

We made this almost exactly as written. The only change was to sauté and add the peppers for the last hour, instead, because we were a little worried they would get too soft. We served it over couscous.

Private comments are only visible to you.

Credits

Adapted from Annette Gertner

Recipe Tags

or to save this recipe.