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As most of us can relate to, lamb meat is good only when it is prepared well… no smell, soft/melt in the mouth and tasty. In Persian cooking, lamb is a common meat ingredient, grilled/kabab’d, braised/boiled, and baked. It is eaten with Persian bread or rice dishes. At the bottom, there are rice dishes which also go well with lamb meat.
Lamb Shank
2 lbs = 2 pcs ‘premium’ Australian lamb shank
1 medium onion chopped
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
6 cloves garlic
1 bay leaf (a must)
¼ tsp turmeric
¾ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
4 cups hot water
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- Wash lamb shank well and pat dry. Use scissors to trim off any excess loose sinew if necessary.
- Add 3 Tbsp oil to a deep, medium size pot on medium high heat. Sear shanks on all sides, one minute each side.
Remove and place in a dish.
- In the same pot, add onions and sauté for two minutes.
- Add garlic cloves and sauté for one more minute.
- Put shanks back into the pot, add remaining ingredients, including hot water and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium (or a little lower) and simmer for 1 hour, turn shanks over and cook for an additional hour (total 2 hours).
- Although enough liquid is planned for, periodically check the pot to insure there is enough liquid while cooking. When done, there should be 1 cup of liquid remaining in the pot. Skim any fat in the pot and discard.
Option: When ready to serve, a few drops of dissolved saffron would give further appetizing color, aroma and flavor. - Smidgen (1/32 tsp) saffron in 2 Tbsp hot water and set aside for 30+ minutes. Freeze the remainder in the freezer for future use.
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Noushe jan! /Bon Appétit!
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Yummm! Today, by my mum’s recommendation’ I am cooking a turkey leg in this method. I am still waiting for it to get ready! But I can totally smell and taste your lamb shanks! It’s one of those “you-won’t-believe-how-good-it-is-unless-you-have-it kind of recipes!
This looks so easy and delicious. What a great meal for a busy winter day when you want that smell of meat braising!
On a related note, I have been wondering why I sometimes see “Iranian” food and other times “Persian” food. Would you use the term Persian for older dishes? Are these terms interchangeable? Something tells me that you are the perfect person to answer this question.
First and foremost, the correct form is ‘Iran’ and ‘Iranian’. Iran was ‘Iran’ before it became the Persian Empire. When Iran was no longer the Persian Empire, in 1935 the Pahlavi Dynasty announced that the name of the nation was to go back to its original name, ‘Iran’. It was further elaborated that since people and many terms have referred to ‘Persian’ for over two thousand years, these terms may continue to be used (i.e., Persian carpet, Persian cat, Persian shallots ).
I prefer using the term ‘Iranian’ for everything. However, there are definitely exceptions (per above given examples), because it is a term so commonly known, which I try to accommodate to eliminate any confusion.
Thanks! I knew you could help here.
i had a lamb shank in my freezer and wait to cook,
i guess this will be my end up of searching the right recipes…….
thx for sharing….
You are welcome, Dedy. This recipe has a little Persian twist by use of turmeric (or we also use saffron). It goes well with jasmine or basmati rice!
Lamb shanks were a staple in so many of the Persian dishes I prepared. I love them. You are so right they go perfectly with Reshteh Polo.
… baghali-polo, havij-polo, shirin-polo, addas-polo…
Fae, the lamb looks incredible. I haven’t prepared it in a long time. And I love this recipe! Did I read correctly, one pot? That is even better
Yes, one pot!
I love lamb shanks! As an Australian girl who grew up on a farm, we literally grew up on lamb…but hardly ever shanks. Thankfully, they have become more popular in recent years!
Thankfully, so we can get them in the USA too! I have a delicious leg-of-lamb recipe too. Some of these recipes which you cannot help make it in a small portions, I have to make them when I have company/visitors to justify. Stay tuned and they will show up one-by-one.
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Slow cooked lamb shanks, yum! Australian sheep are still farmed the old way. They graze in paddocks,the number per hectare depending on the available feed. The best lamb here feeds on salt bush in arid and semi arid area. The salt bush imparts a sweetness that is incomparable. 😃
Thank you very much for this information! The best lamb meat we can buy in the USA are Australian.
I love lamb Fae. Poor thing if you love it then why are you eating it. That’s what I hear in my head, when I am referring to I love lamb. But to enjoy eating it. I always wanted an acre of land, with a flock of sheep. But not sheep to raise for food. But to raise and use there wool for clothing and other articles. But yes, lamb does taste good, sob”"sob. Chef Randall
Oh, Dear Randall, I’m a carnivore. I love my meat dishes. I hope the animals I/we eat are raised humanely and for consumption purposes.