Braised Lamb Shanks with White Beans

Updated February 23, 2016

Published by Stewart, Tabori & Chang

This image courtesy of Joseph DeLeo

Serves6

Cooking Methodbraising, sauteeing

CostModerate

Total Timeunder 4 hours

Make Ahead RecipeYes

Kid FriendlyYes

One Pot MealYes

OccasionCasual Dinner Party

Recipe Coursemain course

Five Ingredients or LessYes

Mealdinner

Taste and Texturemeaty, savory

6 meaty lamb shanks (about 1 pound each)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
¼ cup olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cups robust red wine
2 ripe tomatoes (about 1½ cups), peeled, seeded, and chopped, or use drained, canned Italian-style tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 sprig fresh rosemary, or ½ teaspoon dried
1 sprig fresh thyme, or ¼ teaspoon dried
1 (2-inch) strip orange zest
3 cups chicken stock, approximately, homemade or low-sodium canned
4 cups cooked white beans or canned cannellini beans, carefully rinsed and drained
½ cup chopped parsley

Liberally season the shanks with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. In uncrowded batches, brown the shanks on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer the shanks to a large ovenproof casserole. Add the onions to the skillet and sauté for 10 minutes until lightly browned and limp. Scrape into the casserole. Deglaze the pan with the wine, scraping up the browned bits that have adhered to the skillet. Pour into the casserole. Add the tomatoes, garlic, rosemary, thyme, and orange zest, with enough stock to barely cover the shanks. Cover and bake at 350° for 1½ hours or until the meat is fork-tender but still clings to the bone.
Remove the casserole from the oven. Transfer the shanks to a platter and cover to keep warm. Degrease the cooking liquid and season with salt and pepper. Add the beans and parsley and bury the shanks in the beans and sauce.
Cover and return to the oven to bake until the beans absorb some of the sauce, about 15 minutes.