Braised Lamb Shanks with Herb Salad

Category: Dinner Ideas

Braised lamb shanks are brushed with hot mustard sauces and crisped in a skillet before being served with a fresh herb salad in this make-ahead-friendly recipe.

ingredients

Lamb

  • 8 (10- to 12-ounce) lamb shanks

  • 2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

  • 1/4 cup canola oil, divided

  • 1/2 small yellow onion, peeled and halved

  • 4 cups beef or lamb stock

  • 4 cups water

  • 1 cup roughly chopped peeled daikon (about 1 small daikon)

  • 2 scallions, trimmed and halved crosswise

  • 10 medium garlic cloves, unpeeled

  • 1/4 cup dried seaweed (such as wakame or nori) 

  • 3 tablespoons doenjang or white miso

  • 2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 4 teaspoons toasted perilla (shiso) seeds (such as McCabe) 

  • 1 small piece fresh ginger, peeled

  • 2 teaspoons fish sauce

  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns

  • Black pepper, to taste

Hot Mustard Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 2 tablespoons toasted perilla seeds

  • 4 teaspoons Korean hot mustard paste (such as Chung Jung One)

  • 4 teaspoons perilla seed oil or sesame oil

  • 2 teaspoons finely grated garlic (about 4 garlic cloves)

  • 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

  • 1 teaspoon plum extract (such as Méshil) or pomegranate molasses

  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

  • 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar

Salad

  • 1 (4-ounce) package fresh pea tendrils

  • 1 cup thinly sliced sugar snap peas (about 12 peas)

  • 1/2 cup packed fresh mint leaves

  • 1/4 cup packed fresh perilla (shiso) leaves (optional)

  • 1/4 cup packed fresh nasturtium leaves or arugula

demo

Direction

  1. Make the lamb

    Preheat oven to 350°F. Pat lamb shanks dry, and sprinkle with salt. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large Dutch oven over medium. Working in 2 batches, cook lamb shanks, turning occasionally, until browned all over, 6 to 8 minutes per batch. Transfer browned lamb shanks to a bowl. Do not wipe Dutch oven clean.

  2. Place 1 onion half in Dutch oven. Add stock, 4 cups water, daikon, scallions, garlic, seaweed, doenjang, soy sauce, perilla seeds, ginger, fish sauce, and peppercorns to pot. Stir to combine. Return browned lamb to pot, along with any juices from bowl. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high. Cover and transfer to preheated oven. Braise until meat is very tender and falls off the bone, about 2 hours. Let lamb cool in braising liquid to room temperature, about 2 hours.

  3. Transfer cooled lamb shanks to a baking sheet or a large bowl. Discard braising liquid, or strain and reserve for another use. Cover lamb shanks, and refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.

  4. Make the Hot Mustard Sauce

    Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl until well combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

  5. Make the salad

    Toss together pea tendrils, snap peas, mint, perilla (if using), and nasturtium with 1 tablespoon hot mustard sauce in a large bowl until well coated; set salad aside until ready to serve.

  6. Finish making the lamb

    Season chilled lamb with black pepper and additional salt to taste. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large cast-iron or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium. Working in 2 batches, cook lamb shanks in skillet, turning occasionally to brown all edges, until lightly crisped on outside edges and meat is hot in the center, 4 to 6 minutes per batch.

  7. Brush crisped lamb shanks with a thin layer of hot mustard sauce. Serve shanks topped with salad and with remaining mustard sauce on the side.