How to Cook Lamb Shanks or Legs

Lamb Shanks

• 1). Heat the Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed roast pan over a moderately high burner. Add a small amount of vegetable oil. Sear the shanks one at a time, turning them so that every surface is well-browned, then set them aside on a plate or cutting board.
  
  
• 2). Dice the onion, carrot and celery and mound them into the bottom of your Dutch oven or roasting pan. Stir the vegetables until they are slightly browned, then remove the Dutch oven from the heat and arrange the vegetables into a pad for the shanks to sit on while they cook.
  
  
• 3). Place the shanks in the Dutch oven and season them lightly with salt and pepper. Add enough red wine and broth to cover the shanks, then the bay leaves, garlic and other seasonings if you are using any.
  
  
• 4). Cover the Dutch oven and keep it at a low simmer for one and a half to two hours, until the shanks are fork-tender. Alternately, place the Dutch oven in a preheated oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for two hours, or until the shanks are fork-tender.
  
  
• 5). Cover the shanks loosely with aluminum foil and keep warm. Strain the cooking juices and spoon off the fat. Boil the juices rapidly in a small saucepan until they have reduced enough to coat the back of a spoon. Whisk in the cold butter, and serve the sauce alongside the hot shanks.
  
  

Lamb Legs

• 1). Use a sharp knife to trim away any loose pieces or excess fat from the leg. If the leg is boneless or semi-deboned, ensure that it is tied tightly and neatly.
  
  
• 2). Cut several small slits in the muscle and fat of the roast, and fill them with slivers of garlic. Rub the roast lightly with Dijon mustard, then season it lightly with salt and pepper. Transfer the leg to your roasting pan. Strip the needles from the stem of rosemary, and sprinkle them over the lamb.
  
  
• 3). Preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Put the lamb in the oven, and roast it at this temperature for 25 minutes to brown the surfaces.
  
  
• 4). Reduce the heat to 375 degrees, and continue cooking until the thickest part of the leg tests at 125 to 130 degrees when checked with an instant-read thermometer, after approximately 35 to 45 minutes. This will yield a medium-rare leg tending to rare in the thickest spots. Cook to a higher temperature if you prefer your lamb more done.
  
  
• 5). Remove the leg from the oven, cover it loosely with aluminum foil, and allow it to rest for 15 to 20 minutes before carving. Serve hot, with your favorite side dishes and sauce.