What is it?

The shank is the lower portion of the lamb’s leg, virtually always sold bone-in. It’s a tough cut, best suited to slow, moist-heat cooking methods like stewing and braising, which melt the ample collagen in the shank to produce a velvety sauce.

Most lamb shanks sold in markets are fore shanks (from the front legs), which are smaller than the meatier hind shanks (from the back legs). But there is nothing dainty about fore shanks; a single shank offers more than enough meat for a hearty serving.

Kitchen math:

1 shank weighs 1/2 to 1 lb. and serves 1 person generously

Don’t have it?

Substitute other tough cuts for stewing and braising, such as lamb shoulder.

How to choose:

Lamb shanks from the front legs tend to be smaller and quicker-cooking than shanks from the hind legs. As with other cuts of lamb, American lamb shanks are generally larger than New Zealand or Australian lamb shanks.

How to prep:

Lamb shanks are best cooked slowly and gently with moist heat until falling-off-the-bone tender (braising works well, or cook the shanks in a foil packet with a small amount of liquid).

How to store:

Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Recipes

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  Recipe

  Southwestern Braised Lamb Shanks

  Cranberries and chipotle chiles in adobo sauce impart a tangy-sweet and smoky flavor to these succulent braised lamb shanks. Like most braised meats, the shanks improve with reheating.

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  Recipe

  Lamb Shanks en Papillote with Leeks, Carrots, Rosemary, and Orange

  Here, lamb shanks are wrapped in individual foil packets with vegetables, herbs, vermouth, and a sliver of butter and then roasted until luscious and fork-tender. Serve them as is—the vegetables…

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  Recipe

  Barbecue-Braised Moroccan Lamb Shanks with Honey-Mint Glaze

  Sweet and savory flavors—a hallmark of Moroccan food—combine in this dish. The vegetables and lamb are served over couscous.

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  Recipe

  Middle Eastern Style Lamb Pita ‘Pizza’

  Use the leftovers from the Braised Lamb Shanks with Garlic & Vermouth recipe to make a richly flavored topping for a weeknight pizza supper.

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  Recipe

  Braised Lamb Shanks with Garlic & Vermouth (Souris aux Aulx)

  The inspiration for my recipe comes from Richard Olney’s Simple French Food, where the shanks and garlic are cooked with nothing more than a bit of water. I’ve updated Olney’s…

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  Recipe

  Lamb Shank & Sweet Pepper Ragù

  This recipe, known as Ragù di Stinco d’Agnello con Peperoni in the southern-Italian region of Abruzzi, where it originated, benefits from the additioin of bell peppers; their sweetness provides a…

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  Recipe

  Lamb Shanks Braised with Tomatoes and Coriander

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  Recipe

  Couscous with Lamb & Vegetables

  Though most of us are used to the quick-cooking method of soaking couscous in boiling water, this authentic Moroccan method of steaming and fluffing three times by hand yields plumper,…

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  Recipe

  Soupe au Pistou Simmered with Lamb Shanks

  You may need to call your butcher to reserve the lamb shanks for this sustaining bean soup.

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  Recipe

  Lamb Shanks Braised in Red Wine

  I like to use a Merlot in this recipe, but any full-bodied red wine, like Cabernet Sauvignon, will give the sauce the right deep flavor.