Braised Lamb Shank with Vegetable Ragout: An Easy, Bone Healthy Crowd-pleaser

Hey there fellow foodie! Are you ready for a flavor explosion that’ll knock your socks off? Look no further than this succulent slow-cooked lamb shank recipe.  

It has it all: juicy lamb shanks, garlic, rosemary, onions, carrots, and a splash of red wine. Oh, and don’t forget the secret ingredient: patience! The cook time is on the longer side. But it’ll give you the chance to catch up on your favorite show. 

And trust me, it’s worth the wait. When your lamb shanks are done they’ll be so tender they’ll practically fall off the bone. And the flavors will meld together to create a mouthwatering dish that you won’t soon forget.

But the goodness doesn’t stop there. Did you know that lamb is not only delicious, it’s also packed with bone healthy nutrients? 

That’s right. This tasty meat is a nutritional powerhouse.

First of all, lamb is a great source of vitamins and minerals. Plus, it’s loaded with protein. And protein intake affects bone in several ways¹…

• It provides the structural matrix of bone.
• It’s reported to increase intestinal calcium absorption.
• It promotes insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), which enhances bone growth and development.

So if you fancy an easy, bone healthy, delectable recipe that will have you coming back for seconds (and maybe even thirds) you have to give this beauty a try.

Succulent Braised Lamb Shank with Vegetable Ragout

Gluten Free, Grain Free, Dairy Free

Note: When buying lamb, ask your butcher for local grass fed sources.

5 from 3 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 3 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Total Time 4 hours hrs

Servings 4

Calories 517 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 4 lamb shanks
• 1 tbsp avocado oil
• 1 medium sweet onion diced
• 1 large carrot diced
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp potato starch or thickener of choice
• 5.5 ounces tomato paste
• 2 cups quality red wine
• 2 cups natural beef broth
• 1 fresh rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 medium eggplant diced
• 1 medium zucchini diced
• 1 red pepper diced
• 10 kalamata olives pitted and sliced in half, optional
• 1 tsp kosher salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350F.
• In a 5-quart Dutch oven, or cast-iron pot, heat avocado oil over medium-high heat.
• Pat lamb shanks dry with a paper towel, season with salt and pepper, and sear on each side until you begin to see color in the lamb and in the pot.
• Remove the shanks from the pot and set aside.
• Reduce heat to medium low. Add onions, carrots, and garlic cloves. Cook until the onions are translucent.
• Add vinegar to the pot, scraping the bottom to deglaze the pan.
• Add tomato paste and starch, and stir thoroughly.
• Add wine and stir until heavy and thick.
• Add the broth and the herbs to the pot and stir to combine. Sauce should barely coat a spoon but not stick.
• Return the shanks to the pot, arranging to ensure they are fully submerged in liquid.
• Cover pot with lid and cook in the oven for 2.5 hours.
• Remove the pot from the oven and add in eggplant, zucchini, red pepper and olives. Return to the oven for 30 minutes.
• Remove bay leaf and rosemary and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 517kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 48gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 127mgSodium: 1269mgPotassium: 1646mgFiber: 8gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 4243IUVitamin C: 64mgCalcium: 97mgIron: 6mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Amazing Health Benefits of Lamb

As mentioned earlier, lamb is packed with bone boosting nutrients. Not only does it contain selenium, phosphorus, and omega 3s, but it’s also a rich source of zinc. 

And studies have found zinc is CRUCIAL for bone health! It aids in the production of anti-aging collagen and helps increase the bone mass density of post-menopausal women.^{2, 3} 

If you take it in the right doses, it can protect you from bone loss.⁴ Plus, it’s involved in the activity of your osteoblasts, those little guys that actually construct your bones.⁵ Impressive, right?

Braised Lamb Shank Takeaways

If you’re looking for something that’s as delicious as it is beneficial for your bones, then this slow-cooked lamb shank recipe is the one for you! 

It’s chock full of flavor, with garlic, rosemary, onions, carrots, and red wine all coming together in perfect harmony. 

Plus, it’s packed with powerful nutrients that keep your bones strong and healthy, like protein, selenium, phosphorus, omega 3s, and zinc. 

I’d love to hear what you think about the recipe. So don’t forget to leave a comment and let me know how you enjoyed it!

To learn more about healthy aging and bone health, sign up for our newsletter and receive weekly updates.

FAQ

References

1. Robert P Heaney, Donald K Layman, “Amount and type of protein influences bone health,” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 87, Issue 5, May 2008, Pages 1567S–1570S, Published: 01 May 2008 https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/87.5.1567S 
2. The Role of Trace Minerals in Osteoporosis; Saltman PD, Strause LG; J Am Coll Nutr. 1993 Aug 12(4):384
3. Marjan Mahdavi-Roshan, Mehrangiz Ebrahimi, and Aliasgar Ebrahimi, “Copper, magnesium, zinc and calcium status in osteopenic and osteoporotic post-menopausal women,” Clin Cases Miner Bone Metab. 2015 Jan-Apr; 12(1): 18–21, Published online 2015 Jun 1. doi: 10.11138/ccmbm/2015.12.1.018
4. J. Patrick O’Connor, Deboleena Kanjilal, Marc Teitelbaum, Sheldon S. Lin, and Jessica A. Cottrell, “Zinc as a Therapeutic Agent in Bone Regeneration,” Materials (Basel). 2020 May; 13(10): 2211, Published online 2020 May 12. doi: 10.3390/ma13102211
5. Hyun-Ju Seo, Young-Eun Cho, Taewan Kim, Hong-In Shin, and In-Sook Kwun, “Zinc may increase bone formation through stimulating cell proliferation, alkaline phosphatase activity and collagen synthesis in osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells,” Nutr Res Pract. 2010 Oct; 4(5): 356–361, Published online 2010 Oct 26. doi: 10.4162/nrp.2010.4.5.356