How to Make Braised Lamb Shanks and Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons bacon fat, lard, or MCT oil, divided
• 4 (1-pound) lamb or beef shanks
• 2½ teaspoons fine sea salt, divided
• ½ cup sliced red onion
• 4 cups button or cremini mushrooms
• 2 heads roasted garlic or 4 cloves raw garlic, minced
• 1 medium yellow tomato, chopped
• 5 cups beef bone broth, divided (plus more if needed)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 12 fresh thyme sprigs, tied together in a bundle
• ¼ cup Herb-Infused Compound “Butter”, for serving

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Coat the bottom of a large Dutch oven generously with 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat and heat over high heat. Season the lamb liberally with 2 teaspoons of the salt and sear in the hot fat. Brown well on all sides. Remove the shanks from the pot to a sheet tray.
3. Add the remaining tablespoon of bacon fat to the Dutch oven and add the onion and mushrooms, then squeeze the roasted garlic from the heads into the pot. Season with the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt, or to taste. Sauté the onion and mushrooms until they are very brown, about 12 to 15 minutes.
4. Add the chopped tomato, 2 cups of the broth, rosemary, and the thyme bundle to the pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the liquid has reduced by about half, about 30 minutes.
5. Add the lamb shanks back to the pot and pour in the remaining 3 cups of broth. The shanks should be submersed; if they are not, add more broth. Cover and put in the preheated oven. Cook for 2½ hours, turning the shanks over about halfway through the cooking time. Check the shanks every 45 minutes or so. If the liquid has reduced too much, add more broth. After 2½ hours, remove the lid to allow the shank to brown for about 15 minutes. When the lamb shanks are done, the meat should be extremely tender.
6. Transfer to serving bowls, smother with the compound “butter,” and serve.