Update 12/24/17 : Another update with a few tweeks to the recipe noted. This time our oven is full of a leg of lamb in this sauce.
Lamb Shanks Braised in Chipotle-Coffee Sauce (Serves 4)
This is my take of a recipe that appeared in Gourmet in January of 2003. In this photo they are served with cheesy cheddar Polenta. Here's a link to the Polenta recipe.
Ingregients
4-6 lamb shanks trimmed of excessive fat and seasoned with salt and pepper
2-3 Tbs. canola oil for browning (12/24/17 We now use avocado oil for browning.)
( Update 12/24/17: after the browning, I deglazed the pan with some rich red wine to make the ultimate clean up easier.)
1 large onion coarsely chopped*
3 cloves of garlic coarsely chopped
6 large carrots peeled and cut in 3” pieces
You'll need a heavy Dutch oven with an oven proof cover that is large enough to hold the lamb. I use the Le Crueset 6.75 Quart Oval French Oven
For braising liquid:
2 cans (7 oz.) of San Marco Chipotle sauce
1 cup of strong, brewed, black coffee
1/4 cup maple syrup***
Juice of one lemon ( Update: I added the zest of the lemon too!)
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 tsp. Kosher salt.
1-2 cups of hot water or more if needed to cover shanks.
Ingredient Notes:
* Onion: sometimes I put the onion in quartered- I like the pieces in the sauce. Try it that way if you like.
** Chipotle sauce: be sure it is the “sauce” NOT the “Chipotle in adobo.” That would deliver one hot dish - far too strong a flavor. Whole Foods Markets carry both. For other sources contact the manufacturer.
Here's a photo of the can you want.
*** Maple syrup: use the dark, rich grade B if you can find it. Trader Joes and Whole Foods both carry it.
Directions
1. Arrange oven racks to fit your pan and preheat oven to 325°.
2. In a large, oven proof pan, brown the lamb shanks in canola oil.
3. Use tongs to assist you to sear as much surface of the lamb as possible. Do the meat in batches and don’t crowd the pan.
4. Remove lamb from the pan.
5. Remove all but a thin covering of oil from the pan with paper towels and your tongs.
6. Add the chopped onion to the pan and cook 3 minutes, add the garlic and stir for one minute.
7. Place the browned shanks back in the pan and fit the carrots in around the lamb.
8. Mix the braising liquid ingredients with 1 cup of hot water. Pour over the lamb and carrots. Add more water as needed to almost cover the lamb. Bring to a strong simmer on top of the stove.
9. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and then a heavy oven proof lid doing your best to seal the pan completely.
10. Put the pan into the oven and braise for 3 hours.
11. At the two-hour point, carefully unseal the pan avoiding the steam and gently turn the shanks. Reseal and return to the oven for the last hour.
12. Remove the lamb, carrots and large pieces of onion (if you opted for them) to a warm, serving bowl and cover.
13. Strain the braising liquid through a sieve into a clean pan.
14. Degrease the braising liquid by skimming the fat (or you can sieve it into a gravy separator and then pour it into the pan.) Put the pan on the stove top and reduce the liquid by about one third. Since you are increasing the power of the chipotle as you reduce, so taste as you go. Pour the thickened sauce over the lamb and serve.
Serve with: Polenta or mashed potatoes, green beans, and crusty bread. Put some of the braising liquid in a gravy boat for those who would like to pour more on their potatoes or polenta.
Wine suggestions: We conducted a wine tasting with this dish. Four tasters tried: a Cote du Rhone, a Zinfandel, a Malbec, a Nebbiolo, and a California Bordeaux Blend. The Cote du Rhone was the clear favorite.
Note: This dish is even better if made a day or two ahead and reheated for service. That makes it perfect for entertaining or to have something prepared for a busy week.
To Reheat: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Reheat lamb with all the liquid and carrots in a wide shallow roasting pan. Try to allow space between the shanks for even reheating. Cover tightly with foil and use an instant read thermometer to be certain the lamb is heated through. It should take 45 minutes to an hour to reheat from refrigerator temperature.
Leftover tip: Strip the lamb from the bone and shred. Simmer for 45 minutes or longer in the remaining liquid with one or more cans of your favorite beans for a very flavorful chili. We like a mix of pinto and black beans, and I always add the left over and onion carrots cut into bite size pieces.
Variation: I wanted to make this recently and found my butcher out of lamb shanks so I tried making it with a whole leg of lamb. It was terrific. I increased the braising liquid ingredients by half again. That would be 3 cans of sauce, 1.5 cups of coffee, 3/8 cup of maple syrup, juice of I.5 lemons, and salt, pepper, and hot water as needed.
If you use a leg of lamb, ask the butcher to cut the bone off at a point where it will fit in your pan. Do take that extra piece of bone and toss it in the pan to give off it's goodness.
Credit for the original recipe: This is my take of a recipe that appeared in Gourmet in January of 2003. Here’s the link to the original recipe.
Update: 12.26.08 This photo was selected for publication by foodgawker.com. Welcome to all the visitors from foodgawker. Here's the BostonZest gallery on foodgawker.com
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Words: Penny Cherubino
Photos: ©2008 Penny Cherubino
