Lamb Shanks, Braised - Jeff's

Ingredients

**For the seasoning **

• 1 teaspoon of kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon of black pepper
• 1 teaspoon of dried thyme

For the braised lamb shanks

• 4 lamb shanks (approximately 1.5 lbs each)
• 4 tablespoons of olive oil
• 4 carrots, peeled and diced
• 4 stalks celery, cut into cubes
• 4 shallots or 1 large onion, peeled and finely sliced
• 1 lb mushrooms (crimini or buttons), sliced
• 2 cups beef bone broth
• 1 cup red wine
• 4 tablespoons of tomato paste
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 1 tablespoon of flour

Directions

Prepare the seasoning

1. Mix salt, pepper and thyme in a bowl. Dry the lamb shanks with absorbent paper and season generously with the seasoning mixture.

Cooking in a cast iron skillet

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Browning the lamb shanks on all sides (about 7-9 minutes per batch) and transferring them to a tray. Add the rest of the oil in the saucepan, cook the carrots and celery for 5 minutes, then add the mushrooms and shallots and cook another 4-5 minutes.

Add liquids and flavors

1. Incorporate broth, wine, tomato concentrate, garlic and bay leaves. Put the lamb shanks back in the crock pot by dipping them in the mixture.

Oven Braiser

1. Cover pot and bake for 2 hours 30 minutes, or until fork-tender.

Degrease the dish

1. Let cool at room temperature, then refrigerate for several hours or overnight to solidify the grease. Remove solid fat with a spoon.

Prepare the sauce

1. Mix butter and flour to form a roux. Heat the lamb on the stove over medium heat, transfer the lamb to a plate and bring the liquid to a boil. Add the roux and stir constantly for 1-2 minutes, until sauce thickens. Adjust the seasoning to your taste.

Servings

1. Serve the shanks with the sauce and vegetables on a plate or directly in the crockpot to keep warm. Serve with mashed potatoes, mashed cauliflower or buttered noodles.