New Zealand Rosemary Lamb Shanks

October. The book's publication is six months away — spring 2026. The cover has been designed: a kitchen, a table, a challah, warm light, hands. The hands are not identified. They could be Sylvia's. They could be mine. They could be Sophie's. The ambiguity is deliberate, Rachel says, because the book is about all the hands, every hand that has braided challah and stirred soup and fed someone they love. The cover is an invitation. Come in. Sit down. Eat. The cover says what the book says. The book says what the kitchen says. The kitchen says: you are welcome here.

I made a butternut squash soup and brought it to the support group, and Sandra looked at the soup and looked at me and said, "Ruth, in six months, people all over the country are going to be making your butternut squash soup." I said, "It's not my soup. It's Sylvia's soup. I'm just the current cook." Sandra said, "The current cook is about to be on the New York Times bestseller list." I said, "Sandra, don't jinx it." Sandra said, "Jewish women don't jinx. We kinahora." She is correct. Kinahora. No evil eye. The soup is good. The book is coming. The chain doesn't break.

The soup is Sylvia’s soup — I’ve said that a hundred times, and I’ll say it a hundred more. But the lamb shanks are also Sylvia’s, and they are the dish I make when the soup alone isn’t enough, when the table needs something that takes hours and fills the whole house with the smell of rosemary and something slow and good. This is the recipe I’ll be demonstrating at the book launch in spring, the one Sandra has already requested I bring to the next meeting, kinahora. If the soup says you are welcome here, the lamb says please stay a while.

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes | Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

4 lamb shanks (about 1 lb each)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, smashed
2 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup dry red wine
2 cups beef or lamb stock
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Chopped fresh parsley, for serving

Instructions

Preheat and season. Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Pat the lamb shanks dry with paper towels and season generously on all sides with salt and pepper.
Sear the shanks. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy oven-safe pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches if needed, sear the lamb shanks on all sides until deep golden brown, about 3–4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Build the base. Reduce heat to medium. In the same pot, add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly caramelized, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste and stir for 1 minute until fragrant.
Deglaze. Pour in the red wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let it simmer for 2 minutes to reduce slightly.
Add liquids and herbs. Add the stock, diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary sprigs, and thyme sprigs. Stir to combine. Nestle the seared lamb shanks back into the pot — they should be mostly submerged. Bring to a gentle simmer.
Braise low and slow. Cover the pot tightly and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise for 2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutes, turning the shanks once halfway through, until the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender and the braising liquid has thickened.
Finish and serve. Remove the rosemary and thyme sprigs. Taste the braising liquid and adjust seasoning. Serve the shanks over mashed potatoes, creamy polenta, or crusty bread, spooning the braising sauce generously over the top. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

Nutrition (per serving)

New Zealand Rosemary Lamb Shanks — Another Recipe from the Chain