Stinco Di Agnello Recipe

Preheat and season

Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F). Pat lamb shanks dry with paper towels. Season all over with 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper.

Brown the shanks

In a large heavy ovenproof pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tbs olive oil and 1 tbs butter over medium-high heat until shimmering. Brown the shanks in batches, 6–8 minutes per batch, turning so they develop a deep golden crust. Remove browned shanks and set aside.

Sauté aromatics

Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 1 tbs olive oil if needed. Add chopped onion, carrot, and celery to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to brown, about 8 minutes. Add crushed garlic and cook 1 minute more. Stir in tomato paste and cook 2 minutes to remove raw flavor.

Deglaze

Pour in the red wine, scraping up browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Simmer briskly 3–4 minutes until wine is reduced by about half.

Braise

Return the lamb shanks to the pot. Add beef or lamb stock and crushed tomatoes so the shanks are about two-thirds submerged. Add rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer on the stovetop, then cover and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise until meat is fall-off-the-bone tender, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Check once halfway – if liquid is reducing too quickly, add a little more stock or water.

Finish shanks

When shanks are tender, remove pot from oven. Transfer shanks to a tray and tent with foil to keep warm. Strain braising liquid into a saucepan, pressing on solids to extract flavor. Skim any excess fat and discard solids. Keep liquid for the jus (see next steps).

Bring the strained braising liquid to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce until slightly thickened and concentrated to about 1 to 1 1/2 cups (10–15 minutes). Taste and season with remaining 1/2 tsp salt and remaining pinch of pepper as needed. Off the heat, whisk in 2 tbs cold cubed butter, one piece at a time, to glaze and enrich the jus. Keep warm.

Cook potatoes

Place peeled potato chunks in a large pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Add 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook until potatoes are very tender when pierced with a fork, about 15–20 minutes depending on size.

Mash and season

Drain potatoes well and return to the hot pot to dry briefly over low heat for 1 minute. Meanwhile, heat milk and 4 tbs butter together until butter melts (do not boil). Mash potatoes using a ricer or potato masher until smooth. Gradually add the warm milk-butter mixture and mash to desired creaminess. Stir in 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper and optional 1/4 cup grated Parmesan. Adjust seasoning to taste and keep warm.

To plate, spoon a generous bed of mashed potatoes in the center of each plate. Place one lamb shank on top of the mash. Spoon warm lamb jus around and slightly over the shank (and a little onto the mash). Sprinkle chopped parsley and a tiny pinch of lemon zest over the shank for brightness. Serve immediately.

Leftovers/storage: Cool jus and mashed potatoes and store in airtight containers in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop; add small splash of stock or milk if needed to loosen mashed potatoes.