Equipment
Ingredients
Lamb and Seasoning
- 4 lamb shanks, trimmed of excess surface fat
- kosher salt
- black pepper, freshly ground
- 30 ml olive oil
Aromatics
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 fresh rosemary sprigs, whole
Liquids and Flavorings
- 30 g tomato paste
- 250 ml dry red wine
- 500 ml beef stock, low-sodium
- 150 g pitted green olives
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 1049 kcal
- Protein
- 111 g
- Carbohydrates
- 14 g
- Fat
- 72 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 5 g
- Sodium
- 2311 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 22 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 1643 mg
- Calcium
- 104 mg
- Iron
- 8.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 132 mg
- Phosphorus
- 821 mg
- Zinc
- 17.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 271 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 9 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 18 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.06 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.10 mg
- Niacin
- 1.6 mg
- Folate
- 27 mcg
- Water
- 268 g
- Alcohol
- 7 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 160C/320F and arrange a rack in the lower third of the oven.
Thoroughly pat the lamb shanks dry with paper towels. Season them generously on all sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the lamb shanks until deeply browned on all sides, working in batches if necessary to avoid crowding the pan. This will take about 10 minutes total. Remove the browned shanks and set them aside on a plate.
Reduce the stove heat to medium. Add the diced yellow onion, carrots, and celery to the residual lamb fat in the pot. Sauté until the vegetables are softened and the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
Stir the minced garlic, tomato paste, and whole fresh rosemary sprigs into the softened vegetables. Cook until the tomato paste darkens from bright red to a rusty brick color and becomes highly fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Pour the dry red wine into the pot to deglaze, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned flavor bits stuck to the bottom. Allow the wine to simmer vigorously and reduce by half, which should take about 5 minutes.
Return the resting lamb shanks, along with any juices collected on the plate, back to the Dutch oven. Pour in the beef stock. The liquid should come about halfway up the sides of the meat. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then cover with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to the preheated 160C/320F oven. Braise for 2 hours.
Carefully remove the pot from the oven. Remove the lid and stir in the pitted green olives. Return the uncovered pot to the oven for another 30 minutes. This allows the sauce to thicken and the lamb to finish cooking until it reaches an internal temperature of at least 90C/195F, ensuring the tough collagen has fully melted into gelatin.
Transfer the tender lamb shanks to a serving platter. Use a ladle to skim and discard any excess fat pooled on the surface of the sauce. Let the meat rest for 10 minutes, then spoon the rich sauce and green olives generously over the shanks before serving.
Chef's Notes
- While braising requires several hours, making this seemingly tricky for a weeknight, this dish is an excellent make-ahead meal. Braises actually taste better the next day after resting in the refrigerator, meaning you can cook it on Sunday and reheat it quickly on a busy weeknight.
- Selecting the right olive makes a huge difference. Avoid heavily vinegar-brined olives; opt for Castelvetrano olives, which offer a mild, buttery, and meaty texture that harmonizes beautifully with rich lamb fat.
- Tough cuts like lamb shanks require low, slow heat. Rushing the process with higher heat will cause the muscle fibers to seize and squeeze out moisture, resulting in dry, stringy meat rather than tender perfection.
- Skimming the fat at the end is crucial. Lamb fat has a very pronounced, somewhat waxy mouthfeel when it cools slightly, so removing the excess ensures a glossy, clean-tasting sauce.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container. The flavors deepen and improve after a day in the refrigerator.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze the lamb shanks completely submerged in the braising liquid to prevent freezer burn.
Reheating: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator if frozen. Gently simmer in a covered pot over medium-low heat for 15 to 20 minutes until warmed completely through.
Troubleshooting
Lamb meat is tough and chewy
Cause: The collagen connective tissues have not had enough time to break down into soft gelatin.
Fix: Return the covered pot to the oven and continue braising, checking every 20-30 minutes, until the meat is fork-tender.
Prevention: Ensure the oven maintains a steady, low heat and allow adequate time for braising.
Braising sauce is too thin and watery
Cause: Too much liquid was added initially, or not enough moisture evaporated during the uncovered braising phase.
Fix: Remove the lamb shanks to a plate. Place the Dutch oven on the stove over medium-high heat and simmer the sauce rapidly until it reduces and thickens to your desired consistency.
Prevention: Ensure the final 30 minutes of braising are done without a lid.
Sauce tastes bitter
Cause: The tomato paste was burned, or the browned bits at the bottom of the pan were scorched during the searing phase.
Fix: Cannot be fully fixed, but balancing the sauce with a tiny pinch of sugar or a splash of balsamic vinegar can help mask mild bitterness.
Prevention: Manage stovetop heat carefully while searing, and do not walk away while caramelizing the tomato paste.
Cultural Context
Braising tough, hardworking cuts of meat on the bone with local wine, aromatic herbs, and cured ingredients is a cornerstone of rustic Mediterranean cooking. The technique of combining earthy lamb with the acidic brightness of tomatoes and the briny pop of olives perfectly represents the regional approach of layering deeply contrasting flavors to create a balanced, comforting stew.
