Not every recipe turns out how you hope — that’s why I always test (and oftentimes adapt them) before I share. But this one? It was an instant hit. Here’s how I knew: My husband, Cody, does not like braised meat. Not lamb, not beef, not chicken — if it’s been simmered in its own juices, he’s out. One evening, while testing this recipe, I planned to make him something else for dinner. But Cody walked in, sniffed the air, and said, “Something smells good.” I told him, “That’s just a test batch — dinner’s different.” He grabbed a fork anyway, took a bite, and said, “No reason to make anything else.” He even went back for seconds, and that’s when I knew I had a winner! These lamb shanks are tender and rich, braised low and slow in dark beer and fresh herbs until they practically melt off the bone. The sauce has that deep, malty flavor that makes you want to lick the spoon. Serve them over mashed potatoes with a glass of bold red wine, and you’ll see what I mean — this is a jackpot recipe.
Active time: 30 min • Total time: 2½ hrs
6 shanks
6-7 wt oz (cooked meat)
6
Dutch oven or heavy oven-safe pot
Ingredients
- 6 medium lamb shanks (~1¼ lb each, bone-in)
- 2 Tbsp neutral oil, ie. avocado oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, diced
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 14 oz beef broth
- 14 oz dark beer (like Guinness or a Texas porter)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2–3 sprigs fresh parsley
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- Kosher salt, to taste
Sourcing Tips:
Beer: Use a dark, malty beer such as a stout or brown ale. Local options include:
- Jester King’s sesaonal stouts
- Austin Beerworks’ beloved winter seasonal brewed with Cuvee Coffee, the Sputnik Oatmeal Stout
- Real Ale’s Commissar Russian Imperial Stout
If you are looking for a gluten-free beer, try Ground Breaker Brewing Dark Ale from Portland, OR – it’s 100% gluten-free and brewed with roasted chestnuts; deep and slightly nutty.
Instructions
- Prep the Lamb (10 min)
- If your lamb is frozen, thaw it fully in the refrigerator overnight.
- Pat dry with paper towels — this helps the shanks brown beautifully.
- Season lightly with salt.
- Brown the Shanks (10 min)
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Heat the oil in a heavy, oven-safe pot (like a Dutch oven) over medium-high heat.
- Brown the lamb shanks on all sides until golden — about 7 minutes total.
- Remove the shanks and pour off any excess oil.
- Build the Base (10–12 min)
- Reduce heat to medium.
- Add onion and garlic to the pot and cook until softened and fragrant, ~7 minutes.
- Stir in the celery and carrots; cook ~5 minutes more.
- Add the tomato paste and cook ~2 minutes, stirring to coat the vegetables.
- Braise with Beer & Broth (5 min)
- Slowly pour in the beef broth and dark beer, scraping up the fond from the bottom of the pot.
- Return the browned shanks to the pot.
- Add the bay leaf, peppercorns, thyme, and parsley. Season with salt.
- Bring everything to a gentle boil.
- Bake Until Tender (~2 hrs)
- Cover the pot and transfer to the preheated oven.
- Bake for 2 hours, turning the shanks halfway through.
- During the last 15 minutes, add the rosemary sprig for one final layer of aroma.
- Rest & Serve (5 min)
- Remove the rosemary and discard.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Chef tip: Every oven cooks differently — trust your nose and your eyes. The sauce should thicken and the meat should pull easily from the bone.
Serving & Storage Suggestions
- Ideal Temp: Hot
- Serving Size Considerations: A whole shank makes an impressive single serving, though you can easily shred the meat from 4–5 shanks to feed 6–8 people in a family-style format.
- Prep Ahead: The shanks can be braised up to 2 days ahead — in fact, the flavor deepens overnight. Gently reheat covered at 300°F.
- Best By: Refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Surplus Ingredients: You can use any leftover dark beer to deglaze roasted vegetables or stir into chili for extra depth. Or just pour yourself a glass while the shanks finish braising!
- Complementary Menu Ideas: Creamy mashed potatoes, polenta, or buttered noodles
Original Source: https://hackamoreranch.com/blog/lamb-shanks-with-dark-beer-and-herbs/
Did you make this?
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