I saw a recipe for citrus-braised lamb shanks on pinterest. I decided I really wanted to turn it into a slow cooker recipe. Slow cookers are a great option for anything involving traditionally braised meats. The original recipe called for a lot of wine, which I generally don't do (I cook for my family which includes 2 small children!). And since alcohol definitely doesn't burn off in a slow cooker, I altered things around to make it flavorful and family friendly. I love cooking my lamb shanks in the slow cooker. It turns lamb into a no fuss meal. I love how the smell fills up my house and the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender. Such a scrumptious meal for citrus season!
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 lamb shanks (around 1 pound each)
2 carrots, finely chopped
1 sweet onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup vegetable broth
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 lime, zested and juiced
1 naval orange, zested and juiced
1 tsp salt
Instructions
1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Sear the shanks on all the sides until browned, 7-10 minutes. Remove from the skillet and place directly into the slow cooker.
2. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, stir together the carrots, onion, celery, garlic, tomato paste, vegetable broth, lemon zest and juices, lime zest and juices, orange zest and juice, and salt. Pour over the lamb shanks into the slow cooker.
3. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve hot with a little of the vegetables from the slow cooker, strained.
