Braised lamb shanks rise in the ranks

Gastropubs and bar food have brought with them a fondness for casual meaty fare like braised lamb shanks. Last year, a menu report commissioned by the American Lamb Board to track the use of lamb on restaurant menus also found that braised lamb shank is one of the fastest-growing proteins in fine dining. Here are a few inspired spins on braised lamb shank recipes.

Chef Mark Dommen of One Market in San Francisco serves lamb shanks with olives and Meyer lemon. “Oregano and lemon are classic combinations that work with grilled lamb, so I wanted to incorporate these flavors into a braised dish. The fennel and coriander are there to bring depth to the dish,” he says. He adds that braised dishes in general have become more popular.

At Russell House Tavern in Boston, Chef Tom Borgia offers lamb shank on the menu.

“I am a huge fan of domestic lamb, especially Colorado lamb, which I feasted on whenever the opportunity presented itself while working in Aspen,” he said.  

His recipe is served with eggplant caponata.  

Braised lamb shanks seem like a natural for the menu at The Federal Food, Drink & Provisions, too. The Miami restaurant draws inspiration from American tavern classics. Their lamb shank dish is served with braised fennel, roasted mushrooms and smoked grapes.

At RIS in Washington, DC, chef/owner Ris Lacoste serves Lebanese spiced lamb over pita with a garlic-yogurt pomegranate sauce, pine nuts, mint, chickpeas and spinach.

“Our lamb shank preparation,” Lacoste says, “is a tribute to the classic Lebanese dish Fatteh Blahmeh served here in the DC area at Lebanese Taverna restaurants.”

See these four lamb shank recipes:

• RIS Braised Lamb Shanks
• Braised Lamb Shanks with Olives, Meyer Lemon and Fennel
• Braised Lamb Shank with Eggplant Caponata
• The Federal Braised Lamb Shank with Braised Fennel, Roasted Mushrooms and Smoked Grapes