Braised Lamb Shanks with Chickpeas

Lamb Shanks

As soon as the first chill hits the air and the foliage flaunts its hints of autumn glow, our internal culinary clocks transition to warm, savory, slow-cooked foods that get us mentally ready for the cold months ahead. This is a good time to cook lamb shanks.

The shank is the shin, the part of the animal’s leg just below the knee. It’s not very elegant, except when we call it osso buco, which is traditionally made with veal shanks. But whatever its name or whether it’s veal or lamb (or beef or pork, for that matter), the shank is muscular, gristly and tough. It’s rustic and unglamorous. You can’t grill it or roast it because it would chew like rubber. It takes some coddling, but if you cook it properly, your reward is tender meat, rich sauce and a meal worth waiting for.

All on the cheap too. Compared to other meat portions, lamb shanks are relatively inexpensive, a plus for most of us these days.

The best method for cooking lamb shanks is braising, a long, slow cooking process that requires time and commitment. During 3 to 4 hours in the oven, the shank’s fibrous sinew softens, the meat tenderizes and flakes off with a fork, the gristle melts into lush, glossy gravy.

There’s another bonus too. Once the preparations are done and you slip the pan into the oven there’s nothing more you have to do. You can go out. Shop. Do errands. Or stay home and read a book, sit by the fire. Watch a movie. Play monopoly with your kids.

Braising is easier than other cooking methods to master because it is so forgiving. You can make mistakes along the way and the food will probably still come out fine.

Most braising recipes recommend that you brown the meat first, then cook it more slowly with liquid in low heat. Browning is not an essential step, but it does give it a rich color to the meat and pan fluids, and the browned bits at the bottom of the pan add extra flavor (but if you prefer not to brown the shanks on the cooktop, you can brown them under the broiler).

Any ovenproof pot and cover will work as a braising pan, although a colorful enameled cast-iron casserole or try-ply stainless-steel braiser makes a lovely presentation and holds the heat in better than others. Be sure any pan you use is thick and heavy.

Before you begin to cook, look to see if the shanks have a thin, white, papery covering (called a “fell”). If so, cut it off. The silvery covering on top of the meat is fine though and should not be removed. You probably won’t have to remove any fat, nor is there much need to skim the gravy when it’s cooked, because lamb shanks are lean.

Before browning the meat, be sure to wipe it with paper towels, which prevents sputtering in the pan. Heat the vegetable oil, then add the shanks, leaving space between them for better browning. Once the meat is darkened on all sides, remove it to a plate for a few minutes. There shouldn’t be much fat in the pan, but if there are more than 2 tablespoons, spill off the excess before adding the vegetables.

Cook the vegetables, usually onions, to soften them a bit, then return the meat to the pan, add the liquids and seasonings, baste the meat a few times, cover the pan and put it in a 300 degree oven for at least 3 hours, until the meat is practically falling off the bone. As an alternative, you can cook the dish on the cooktop over low heat.

Many lamb shank recipes recommend reducing the pan fluids before serving it with the lamb. The better idea is to use less liquid initially, to keep the sauce more concentrated, and to use the gravy not just for the meat but for accompanying mashed potatoes, cooked egg noodles, rice or couscous. Some cooks also strain the liquid and discard the cooking vegetables, but that also is unnecessary. This is supposed to be a homey dish, casual, no-fuss. Keep it that way.

Lamb has an assertive flavor, but there are a number of different vegetables, seasonings and other recipe additions that work well with the meat. For example, you can season the meat with cumin, ginger, cinnamon and other warm spices to make it Moroccan style or include rosemary and white beans for a French interpretation or use sherry wine and oranges for a Spanish-accented dish or change the character completely by adding ginger and cranberries to make a sweet and sour version. There are plenty of options. Here are three.