Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- 4 lamb shanks (12–14 oz/340–400 g each)
- 2 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 medium onions, diced; 2 celery ribs, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, sliced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 12 oz (1½ cups/355 ml) malty ale (brown or amber)
- 2 cups (480 ml) low-sodium beef stock
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 bay leaves, 2 rosemary sprigs, 6 thyme sprigs
- 4 carrots & 3 parsnips, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
- 3 lb (1.4 kg) Yukon Gold potatoes
- 6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter
- ¾ cup (180 ml) whole milk + ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- 1 tsp kosher salt, pinch white or black pepper (for mash)
- ½ cup chopped parsley, ¼ cup chopped mint, zest of 1 lemon, 1 small garlic clove, 1 tsp olive oil, pinch flaky salt
Do This
- 1. Heat oven to 325°F (165°C). Pat shanks dry; season with 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper; dust lightly with flour.
- 2. Sear shanks in 2 tbsp oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until deeply browned, 3–4 minutes per side; remove.
- 3. Sauté onions, celery, and garlic 6–8 minutes. Stir in tomato paste 1 minute. Deglaze with ale; reduce by half, 4–5 minutes. Add stock, Worcestershire, bay, rosemary, thyme.
- 4. Return shanks, cover, and braise 1 hour. Add carrots and parsnips; cover and braise 1 hour 15 minutes more, then uncover 20 minutes until meat is fork-tender.
- 5. Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, 15–18 minutes. Rice, then fold in warmed butter, milk, and cream; season to taste.
- 6. Reduce sauce on stovetop 5–10 minutes to glossy. Serve shanks and vegetables over cloud-soft mash; finish with mint–parsley sprinkle.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Slow-braised lamb that’s fall-off-the-bone tender with rich, malty ale gravy.
- Root vegetables cooked to silky, caramel-sweet perfection—never mushy.
- Pillowy, buttery mash that soaks up every drop of sauce.
- A fresh mint-and-parsley sprinkle that brightens each bite.
Grocery List
- Produce: Onions, celery, garlic, carrots, parsnips, Yukon Gold potatoes, flat-leaf parsley, fresh mint, lemon
- Dairy: Unsalted butter, whole milk, heavy cream
- Pantry: 4 lamb shanks, malty ale (brown/amber), low-sodium beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, bay leaves, fresh rosemary, fresh thyme, olive oil, all-purpose flour, kosher salt, black pepper, flaky salt
Full Ingredients
For the Ale-Braised Lamb Shanks
- 4 lamb shanks (12–14 oz/340–400 g each), patted dry
- 2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (for light dredging)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 medium yellow onions, diced
- 2 celery ribs, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 12 oz (1½ cups/355 ml) malty ale (English brown or amber; avoid very hoppy IPAs)
- 2 cups (480 ml) low-sodium beef stock
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
- 4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks on the bias
- 3 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks on the bias
For the Cloud-Soft Mash
- 3 lb (1.4 kg) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- 2 tbsp kosher salt for the boiling water
- 6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter
- ¾ cup (180 ml) whole milk
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- 1 tsp kosher salt (or to taste), plus ¼ tsp white or black pepper
For the Mint & Parsley Sprinkle
- ½ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh mint
- Zest of 1 lemon (finely grated)
- 1 small garlic clove, very finely grated
- 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
- Pinch flaky salt
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Heat the oven and season the lamb
Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Pat the lamb shanks very dry with paper towels. Season all over with 2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Lightly dust with the flour, shaking off any excess—this helps the shanks brown and gives the sauce body later.
Step 2: Sear to a deep crust
Heat a large, heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. Sear the lamb shanks in batches without crowding until deeply browned on all sides, about 3–4 minutes per side (12–15 minutes total). Transfer the browned shanks to a plate and pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pot.
Step 3: Build the ale braise
Add the onions and celery to the pot and cook over medium heat until softened and lightly golden, 6–8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute to caramelize. Pour in the ale and scrape up any browned bits. Simmer until reduced by about half, 4–5 minutes. Add the beef stock, Worcestershire, bay leaves, rosemary, and thyme. Return the shanks to the pot, nestling them into the liquid; it should come at least halfway up the meat. Bring to a gentle simmer.
Step 4: Oven braise, then add root veg
Cover the Dutch oven and braise in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Carefully remove, add the carrots and parsnips, turning to coat them in the braising liquid. Cover again and return to the oven for 1 hour 15 minutes. Uncover and braise 20 minutes more to let the sauce reduce slightly and the shanks glaze. The meat is done when it yields easily to a fork and looks ready to slip from the bone; if needed, continue 10–15 minutes longer.
Step 5: Finish and glaze the sauce
Transfer the shanks and vegetables to a warm platter and tent loosely with foil. Set the pot over medium-high heat and simmer the braising liquid until glossy and syrupy enough to coat the back of a spoon, 5–10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. If the sauce reduces too far, add a splash of stock; if too thin, reduce a few minutes more.
Step 6: Make the cloud-soft mash
While the shanks finish, place the potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water by 1 inch, and add 2 tablespoons kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer until very tender, 15–18 minutes. Drain well and steam-dry in the hot pot 2–3 minutes. Warm the butter, milk, and cream together until steaming (do not boil). Rice or mash the potatoes, then gently fold in the warm dairy until silky and cloud-soft. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and the pepper, tasting and adjusting as needed.
Step 7: Mix the mint-parsley sprinkle and serve
In a small bowl, combine the parsley, mint, lemon zest, garlic, olive oil, and a pinch of flaky salt. To serve, spoon a generous bed of mash into warm shallow bowls. Nestle a lamb shank on top with carrots and parsnips around it. Ladle over the glossy ale sauce and finish with the bright mint–parsley sprinkle.
Pro Tips
- Choose a malty ale (brown or amber, 4.5–6% ABV) for depth without bitterness. Avoid very hoppy IPAs.
- Add the carrots and parsnips mid-braise to keep them intact and velvety, not mushy.
- For ultra-smooth potatoes, use a ricer and warm the dairy before folding in—cold dairy makes mash gummy.
- Let the sauce reduce until it clings to a spoon; reduction concentrates flavor more cleanly than adding thickeners.
- Rest the shanks 10 minutes before serving so the juices relax and the meat stays succulent.
Variations
- Stout-braised: Swap the ale for a smooth stout; add 1 teaspoon brown sugar to balance the bitterness.
- Pressure cooker: 45 minutes on High Pressure with natural release 15 minutes; add carrots and parsnips for the last 10 minutes on Sauté.
- Slow cooker: After searing and building the sauce, transfer to slow cooker; cook on Low 8–9 hours (add veg for last 2 hours). Reduce sauce in a pan to finish.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Refrigerate lamb, vegetables, and sauce together for up to 4 days; mash for up to 3 days. The braise tastes even better the next day. Reheat gently, covered, at 300°F (150°C) for 25–30 minutes or on the stovetop at a low simmer. Freeze the lamb and sauce (without the herb sprinkle) for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge. Make the mint–parsley sprinkle fresh just before serving.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate values: 980 calories; 53 g protein; 55 g fat; 80 g carbohydrates; 7 g fiber; 1,280 mg sodium. Calculated with all the mash and sauce; values vary by shank size and ingredient brands.
