Best 5 Braised Lamb Shanks On Soft Polenta With Bay Leaves Recipes

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Braised lamb shanks are a classic comfort food, perfect for a cold winter night. The meat is slow-cooked in a rich sauce, until it is fall-off-the-bone tender. The polenta is creamy and velvety, and the bay leaves add a touch of aromatic complexity. This dish is sure to impress your friends and family, and it is easy to make.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS ON SOFT POLENTA WITH BAY LEAVES



Braised Lamb Shanks on Soft Polenta with Bay Leaves image

Provided by Lidia Bastianich

Categories     Mushroom     Onion     Braise     Rosemary     Lamb Shank     Red Wine     Fall     Clove     Bon Appétit

Yield Makes 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 13

2 cups hot water
1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms*
2 large oranges
4 Turkish bay leaves
2 large fresh rosemary sprigs
4 whole cloves
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups finely chopped onions
6 1-pound lamb shanks
1 cup dry red wine (such as Barolo)
1/4 cup tomato paste
8 cups low-salt chicken broth
Soft Polenta with Bay Leaves

Steps:

  • Combine 2 cups hot water and mushrooms in small bowl. Let stand until mushrooms soften, about 30 minutes.
  • Using vegetable peeler, remove peel (orange part only) from oranges in long strips. Squeeze juice from oranges; reserve peel and juice. Tie bay leaves, rosemary sprigs, and cloves in square of moistened cheesecloth.
  • Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in wide pot over medium-high heat. Add onions; sauté until golden, about 12 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer onions to small bowl. Add 2 tablespoons oil to pot. Sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper. Add 3 lamb shanks to pot. Sauté until brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer to plate. Repeat with remaining shanks. Return onions to pot. Using slotted spoon, add mushrooms, then mushroom soaking liquid, leaving any sediment in bowl. Add orange peel and juice, herb bundle, wine, and tomato paste. Boil 5 minutes, scraping up browned bits.
  • Return lamb to pot, arranging in single layer. Add broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover; simmer 30 minutes. Partially uncover pot. Simmer until lamb is tender, turning every 15 minutes, about 1 1/2 hours longer.
  • Transfer lamb to bowl. Tilt pot and spoon fat off top of sauce. Boil until sauce is thick enough to coat spoon lightly and is reduced to 5 cups, about 35 minutes. Discard herb bundle and orange peel. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Return lamb to pot, spooning sauce over to coat. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Refrigerate lamb, uncovered, until cold, then cover and keep refrigerated. Rewarm over low heat before continuing.)
  • Spoon polenta onto large platter. Arrange lamb atop polenta. Spoon sauce over lamb and serve.
  • *Dried porcini mushrooms are available at Italian markets, specialty foods stores, and many supermarkets.

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS



Braised Lamb Shanks image

Anne Burrell's Braised Lamb Shanks recipe for Food Network is a hearty fan favorite.

Provided by Anne Burrell

Categories     main-dish

Time 5h50m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 19

3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 celery ribs, cut into 1/2-inch dice
4 lamb shanks (each about 1 1/4 pounds; 1 shank is a portion)
4 cloves garlic
Kosher salt
1 (12-ounce) can tomato paste
1 large Spanish onion or 2 small yellow onions, cut into 1-inch dice
2 cups hearty red wine
2 tablespoons finely chopped rosemary leaves
10 to 12 thyme branches tied together in a bundle
3 to 4 cups water
4 bay leaves
Gremolata, recipe follows
1 orange, zested
1 lemon, zested
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley leaves
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons freshly grated horseradish

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Coat a large Dutch oven generously with olive oil and bring to a high heat. Season the shanks generously with salt and add them to the pan. Brown well on all sides. This is an incredibly important step; do not rush it.
  • Meanwhile, puree the onions, carrots, celery and garlic in a food processor until it becomes a coarse paste. Remove and set aside.
  • Remove the shanks from the pan to a sheet tray. Discard the excess fat from the pan. Add a little more oil to coat the bottom of the pan and add the pureed veggies. Season with salt, to taste. Saute the veggies until they are very brown and aromatic, about 20 minutes. The brown veggies should form a sort of crust on the bottom of the pan, do not let this burn; it is where a lot of the flavor is! Don't rush this step either, since this is where you will develop the brown color and flavor.
  • Add the tomato paste and brown for 5 minutes. Stir in the wine, chopped rosemary and thyme bundle. Stir frequently and cook until the wine has reduced by about half.
  • Add the shanks back to the pot and pour in 3 to 4 cups of water. The shanks should be submersed, if they are not, add more water. Add the bay leaves to the pan, cover and put in the preheated oven. The cooking time will be about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Turn the shanks over about halfway through the cooking time. Check the shanks every 45 minutes or so. If the liquid has reduced too much add more water. Defat as you go.
  • Remove the lid during the last 30 minutes of cooking time for maximum browning. When the shanks are done the meat should be incredibly tender and flavorful. Transfer to serving plates and garnish with Gremolata. Serve with Hard Polenta Cakes, if desired,
  • Call yourself a superstar!!!
  • In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and set aside until ready to use.

SOFT POLENTA WITH BAY LEAVES



Soft Polenta with Bay Leaves image

Provided by Lidia Bastianich

Categories     Herb     Side     Vegetarian     Cornmeal     Fall     Vegan     Simmer     Bon Appétit     Sugar Conscious     Pescatarian     Dairy Free     Wheat/Gluten-Free     Peanut Free     Tree Nut Free     Soy Free     No Sugar Added     Kosher

Yield Makes 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 5

10 cups (about) water
4 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 small Turkish bay leaves
2 cups polenta (coarse cornmeal)*

Steps:

  • Bring 5 cups water to simmer in medium saucepan. Cover; keep warm over low heat. Pour 5 cups water into large pot. Add salt, oil, and bay leaves; bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium; gradually add cornmeal, whisking to avoid lumps. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered until polenta is thick, whisking often, about 3 minutes. Whisk in 1 cup of reserved hot water. Continue to simmer until polenta is smooth and thick, whisking often, about 3 minutes. Add remaining hot water, 1 cup at a time, and cook until very thick after each addition, whisking often, about 20 minutes.
  • *Available at Italian markets, natural foods stores, and some supermarkets. If unavailable, substitute regular yellow cornmeal and cook for about half the time.

STOUT-BRAISED LAMB SHANKS



Stout-Braised Lamb Shanks image

You can't have Irish stew for St Patrick's Day every year. If you feel like something a little different, but still fairly traditional, this hearty dish should fit the bill.

Provided by Nick Russell

Categories     World Cuisine Recipes     European     UK and Ireland     Irish

Time 2h50m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 14

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 lamb shanks
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (12 fluid ounce) bottle stout (such as Guinness®) or porter
1 (14 ounce) can beef broth
3 sprigs fresh thyme
3 sprigs fresh parsley
1 bay leaf
1 sprig fresh rosemary
salt and pepper to taste

Steps:

  • Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large, wide pot over medium-high heat until the oil begins to smoke. Brown the lamb shanks in the hot oil on all sides until well browned, about 10 minutes. Remove lamb shanks and set aside. Pour the excess grease from the Dutch oven, reduce heat to medium, and stir in the onions and garlic. Cook and stir until the onions have softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the carrots, celery, and tomato paste; continue cooking 5 minutes more.
  • Return the lamb shanks to the Dutch oven, and pour in the stout beer and beef broth. Bring to a simmer over high heat. While you're waiting for the beer to simmer, use kitchen twine to tie together the thyme sprigs, parsley sprigs, and bay leaf into a secure bundle; add to the lamb shanks.
  • Once the lamb shanks begin to simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the lamb is very tender and nearly falling off of the bone, 2 to 3 hours. Stir the lamb occasionally as it cooks, and add water if needed to keep the cooking liquid from becoming too thick. You want the cooking liquid to have reduced into a nice sauce by the time the lamb shanks are done. Stir in the rosemary sprig, and salt and pepper to taste during the last 10 minutes of cooking. Remove rosemary sprig and herb bundle before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 347.5 calories, Carbohydrate 16.2 g, Cholesterol 89.3 mg, Fat 15.3 g, Fiber 3.3 g, Protein 30.2 g, SaturatedFat 5.3 g, Sodium 544.3 mg, Sugar 5.4 g

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS



Braised Lamb Shanks image

Wonderful combination of a couple recipes. I like the veggies purred over Creamy Blue Cheese Polenta, but they are good whole, as well.

Provided by me alex

Categories     Lamb/Sheep

Time 3h20m

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 14

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 ounces pancetta, diced
lamb shank
salt & pepper
1 medium onion, diced
3 celery ribs, peeled and diced
3 -4 medium carrots, peeled and diced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
3/4 cup red wine
14 1/2 ounces canned plum tomatoes with juice
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 -4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
2 -3 cups chicken broth

Steps:

  • In a heavy bottomed stock pot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium high heat, add pancetta, cook until browned. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels, reserving fat in pot.
  • Season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper. Brown the shanks on all sides, over high heat in the reserved pot. Once they are browned, remove from pot.
  • Add onion, celery, carrots and garlic to the pot. Cook until softened, 3-5 minutes. Add shanks back to pot and add wine, tomatoes, rsemary, thyme, bay leaves and just enough broth to cover the meat. Bring to a boil then reduce to simmer. Cook covered, 2-3 hours (until meat is tender)
  • Remove lamb, rosemary sprigs, thyme and bay leaves from the pot and puree the sauce(immersion blender would be easiest). You may want to take some of the liquid out if there is too much - add back in gradually as you puree the sauce until it is the consistancy you like. Add the pancetta back in and serve shanks with the sauce over polenta or pasta.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 151.2, Fat 4.4, SaturatedFat 0.7, Sodium 663.2, Carbohydrate 16.9, Fiber 3.6, Sugar 8.3, Protein 4.3

Tips:

  • Choose high-quality lamb shanks: Look for lamb shanks that are meaty and have a good amount of marbling. This will ensure that the shanks are tender and flavorful after braising.
  • Brown the lamb shanks before braising: Browning the lamb shanks in a hot pan before braising them helps to develop their flavor and create a rich, caramelized crust.
  • Use a flavorful braising liquid: The braising liquid is what gives the lamb shanks their flavor, so it's important to use a flavorful liquid. Some good options include red wine, beef broth, or a combination of both.
  • Add aromatic vegetables to the braising liquid: Aromatic vegetables, such as carrots, celery, and onions, help to add flavor and depth to the braising liquid.
  • Cook the lamb shanks until they are fall-off-the-bone tender: The lamb shanks should be cooked until they are very tender and easily fall off the bone. This can take anywhere from 2 to 3 hours, depending on the size of the shanks.
  • Serve the lamb shanks with a creamy polenta: Creamy polenta is a classic accompaniment to braised lamb shanks. It's easy to make and pairs perfectly with the rich, flavorful lamb.

Conclusion:

Braised lamb shanks are a delicious and comforting dish that is perfect for a special occasion. By following these tips, you can make sure that your braised lamb shanks are tender, flavorful, and fall-off-the-bone delicious.

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