Best Lamb Shanks With Cinnamon Orange Recipes

ORANGE BRAISED LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°F.
• In a suitable casserole dish, sweat the diced vegetables in some of the olive oil without browning until tender.
• Add the thyme, bay leaves, garlic, tomato, wine and lamb stock or water, along with most of the orange zest and juice (retain a few pinches of zest and 1 tbsp of juice).
• Bring to the boil and lower to a gentle simmer.
• Heat a little more olive oil in a separate pan and brown the lamb shanks on all sides, seasoning with a little salt and pepper as you go.
• Transfer to the casserole dish and cover with its lid.
• Transfer to the oven and cook for approx 2hours or until the meat is completely tender and coming off the bone.
• Remove the shanks from the pan and keep warm while you finish the sauce.
• Skim off some of the fat that is floating on it. Taste for seasoning and to assess its intensity, boil to reduce if you think it needs it.
• Stir in the reserved juice to refresh the citrus flavour.
• Serve one lamb shank on each warmed plate with a generous amount of sauce spooned over.
• Sprinkle each shank with a little parsley and a pinch of the reserved zest.

SPICED LAMB SHANKS WITH BLOOD ORANGE RELISH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Heat a large Dutch oven (preferably oval) or soup pot with a lid, over high heat. Add half the olive oil and heat. Pat the lamb shanks dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Add 2 of the lamb shanks to the hot oil and brown on all sides, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer shanks to a plate. Repeat with the remaining olive oil and shanks. Add the garlic, celery, carrots and onions and to the pot, and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, use a vegetable peeler to strip the zest (just the orange skin, not the white pith underneath) from the orange in large pieces. Halve and juice the orange and set aside.
• Add the red wine to the vegetables and stir with a wooden spoon, scraping up any browned bits that cling to the pot. Stir in the orange zest, currants, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook until the wine is syrupy, about 5 minutes.
• Cut a square of cheesecloth and place the parsley stems, thyme, bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, juniper berries, peppercorns and star anise in the center. Tie into a bundle with kitchen twine. Add the spice bundle, chicken broth, orange juice and the shanks, along with any collected juices, to the pot, bring the mixture to a boil, cover, and transfer to the oven. Cook about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, turning the shanks occasionally, until the meat is just falling off the bone.
• Transfer the shanks to a plate. Scoop the vegetables from the liquid using a slotted spoon and set aside. Boil the cooking liquid over high heat until thickened, about 15 minutes. Add the lemon juice, and season the sauce with salt and pepper, to taste. Return the shanks to the sauce and warm over medium heat, turning to coat evenly.
• To serve, mound some of the polenta in the centers of 4 heated dinner plates. Top with a shank, and spoon some sauce and vegetables over and around the meat. Spoon a bit of Blood Orange Relish over each shank and serve immediately.
• Cut both ends from the oranges. Stand them on a flat end and cut away all of the peel and white pith. Quarter them top to bottom. Lay the wedges on their sides and slice them thinly crosswise. Slice the fennel crosswise into very thin slices.
• Gently toss the oranges, fennel, apple, parsley, fennel seeds and vinegar together in a small bowl. Season with the salt and pepper. (This can be made a day ahead and refrigerated until ready to serve.)
• Bring the milk, chicken broth and salt to a boil in a large saucepan. Whisk in the polenta in a slow stream and cook, whisking constantly, until the polenta thickens, 3 to 5 minutes. When large bubbles begin to surface, remove from heat and stir in the cheeses and pepper. Taste and season with additional salt, if necessary.

SPICED LAMB SHANKS WITH ORANGE AND HONEY

Steps:

• 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 1/2 hours, until meat is very tender when probed with the tip of a paring knife.
• 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 1/2 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

CROCK POT SPICY LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Using a vegetable peeler, remove the orange part of the peel from 1 of the oranges . Cut the peel into thin strips (should have about 1/4 cup); set aside. Squeeze the juice from both oranges to make about 2/3 cup. In a small bowl stir together orange juice, broth, cardamom, cumin, salt, turmeric, and pepper. Set aside.
• Place carrots, onions, and garlic in the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart crockery cooker. Top with lamb shanks, strips of orange peel, and cinnamon sticks. Pour orange juice mixture over all. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 9 hours or until lamb pulls easily from the bone.
• When ready to serve, transfer the lamb shanks and vegetables to a serving dish using a slotted spoon. Skim the fat from the cooking liquid. Remove and discard the cinnamon sticks. Measure 1 1/2 cups juices; transfer to a small saucepan.
• Combine water and cornstarch; add to saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Spoon sauce over lamb and vegetables. Sprinkle with olives and cilantro. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

ORANGE LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• In large frypan or saucepan, I use my cast iron dutch oven, heat oil over medium high heat, brown lamb on all sides.
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Drain off fat.
• In bowl, combine orange rind and juice, teriyaki sauce, garlic and curry powder, pour over lamb.
• Bring to boil.
• Reduce heat, cover and simmer, turning occasionally, for 1 to 1 1/4 hours or until lamb is tender.
• Transfer to plate, tent with foil and let stand for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, skim fat from pan juices.
• In bowl, whisk flour into 1/4 cup of the pan juices, whisk back into pan and simmer, whisking for about 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.
• Serve over lamb.
• Garnish with orange slices and parsley.

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH GLAZED LEMON AND ORANGE SLICES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• In a large, heavy casserole, heat the oil until almost smoking over medium-high heat.
• Add the lamb shanks and brown on all sides, about 15 minutes. If you cannot fit the shanks without crowding, just do 2 at a time.
• Stir in the onion, adjust the heat down to medium, and cook until the onion is wilted and pale, about 4-5 minutes.
• Blend in the lemon and orange slices, tomatoes, stock, wine, honey, cinnamon stick, salt and pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil, stir to combine the ingredients, cover the casserole and transfer to the preheated oven.
• Bake the lamb shanks until they are very tender, about 1 hour and 45 minutes.
• Remove the cover and skim off the fat, return the pot to the oven, partially covered, for another 15 minutes, turning the shanks a couple of times during this time.
• Serve over cooked pasta or bulgur.

PERSIAN-SPICED LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Trim any excess fat from lamb shanks and season generously with salt. Mix together the cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, rosebuds (if using), black pepper and turmeric. Sprinkle evenly over shanks and rub into meat. Let sit at room temperature at least an hour, or wrap and refrigerate overnight, then bring to room temperature.
• Place a Dutch oven or deep, heavy pot over medium-high heat and add oil to a depth of 1/2 inch. When oil is hot, add 2 lamb shanks and fry until nicely browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside, then brown the 2 remaining shanks.
• Meanwhile, put saffron in a small bowl with lime juice, 2 teaspoons rosewater and 1/2 cup warm water. Let steep for 10 minutes. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Carefully remove all but 2 tablespoons oil from Dutch oven. Add chopped onion and cook over medium heat until softened and lightly colored, 8 to 10 minutes. Season onion with salt, then add lime zest, orange zest, thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Stir in saffron mixture. Lay in the lamb shanks and add the broth. Bring to a boil, then turn off heat and cover pot.
• Transfer pot to oven and bake for about 1 1/2 hours, covered, until meat is tender when probed and beginning to fall from the bone. Remove lamb shanks to a deep serving dish and keep warm. Strain braising juices through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing with a wooden spoon to obtain all the liquid (discard thyme, bay leaves and onions). Skim fat, then taste and add salt if necessary. Add 1 more teaspoon rosewater, if desired. Reheat strained juices and pour over lamb shanks. Combine parsley, mint and reserved orange zest and sprinkle over top.
• Use a large spoon to break the tender shank meat into large chunks. Serve in low, wide soup plates, giving each portion a spoonful of the juices. Accompany with steamed Basmati rice, lavash flatbread or a loaf of crusty French bread.