how bout Braised Lamb [or Goat] Shanks
for New Year’s dinner?
Here’s How:
Plan about 1 lb LAMB SHANKS (raw, bone-in) per person.
Rub the shanks generously with your favorite spice blend (we grind smoked chiles, black pepper, cinnamon stick, and coriander seed in the spice grinder, then add kosher salt to about 50% of the volume of ground spice).
After the shanks sit overnight, we like to cold smoke them, but that’s optional.
Sear the shanks next, in a hot pan with LAMB LARD or vegetable oil, browning on both sides.
Make a sofrito—sautee in olive oil: minced onion, garlic, sweet peppers and stewed or smoked tomatoes with a little salt, until deeply aromatic and vegetables are tender.
After you’ve seared off the shanks, place them in a braising pan on a raft of fresh herbs and large-diced root vegetables (like carrots, potato, and celery root…we add the potato after a couple hours to keep from overcooking). Top the shanks and veg with your sofrito and LAMB BONE BROTH (or any stock), a hearty slug of red cooking wine, and just enough water to barely cover the meat.
Transfer, lidded, to a 300º oven and cook until tender, about 3-4 hours. Taste and adjust seasonings/salt to your preference. Serve atop the braised vegetables, or over a side of polenta and greens, and spoon a little reserved sofrito over the top.
And check out this quick and easy recipe on the James Beard Foundation site.