Guiness Lamb Shanks

Ingredients (serves 6)

6 lamb shanks, about 5 lb. total
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
12 white pearl onions, peeled
2 large carrots, peeled, cut into 1⁄4″-thick slices on the bias
4 large garlic cloves, thickly sliced
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 cup canned tomatoes, drained, crushed
2 cups (1 500-mL can) Guinness
Chicken stock, enough to reach halfway up the meat
1 lb. fresh mini potatoes
3 cups button mushrooms, larger ones halved

Guiness Lamb Shanks

Method

Season And Brown Lamb Shanks

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Season shanks with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in large heavy-gauge, oven-safe pot over medium-high heat.

Working in batches, add shanks to pot and cook until brown on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Reserve shanks on plate.

Pull pot off heat and let cool 5 minutes.

Sweat Vegetables

Return pot to medium heat. Add onions and carrots. Cook until golden, 4 minutes.

Add garlic and cook 2 minutes. Add thyme. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Braise Lamb Shanks

Return lamb shanks to pot on vegetables.

Add tomatoes and Guinness. Add enough chicken stock to make liquid reach halfway up sides of meat. Increase heat and bring to boil. Place piece of parchment on surface of meat. Top pot with lid. Transfer to oven and braise 1 hour.

Add Potatoes And Braise

Open pot and transfer shanks to plate.

Stir in potatoes and mushrooms.

Return shanks; push down to submerge in liquid. If needed, top up with more chicken stock to reach halfway up meat.

Cover. Return to oven. Cook 30 minutes.

Remove pot lid and parchment, and cook uncovered 30 more minutes to brown meat. (Lamb can be cooked one day ahead. To do so, let cool to room temperature in pot, then refrigerate overnight. Reheat in oven at 350°F, 30 to 45 minutes.)

Reduce Sauce And Serve

Transfer shanks and vegetables to platter and loosely cover to keep warm.

Bring sauce left in pot to boil and cook until thick enough to coat back of spoon.

Spoon sauce over shanks and serve.