Lamb Shanks with Buttered Rice

Get ready for melt-in-your-mouth lamb shanks, slow-cooked to perfection in a rich, flavorful gravy. Served alongside velvety buttered rice, this dish is the ultimate indulgence, perfect special occasions or when you want to feel extra special.
Ingredients
For Lamb Shanks:
4 lamb shanks, around 13 oz / 400g each
1 tsp cooking/kosher salt
1 tsp pepper
2–3 tbsp olive oil, separated
1 onion, finely diced (brown, yellow, or white)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup carrot, peeled, finely diced
1 cup celery, finely diced
2 1/2 cups red wine (full-bodied)
800g / 28oz can crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock (or water)
5 sprigs of thyme (or 2 tsp dried thyme)
2 dried bay leaves (or 4 fresh)
For Buttered Rice:
1 cup Royal® Authentic Basmati Rice
2 cups water
2 tbsp butter
Salt to taste
For Serving:
Fresh thyme leaves (optional garnish)
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.
- Pat lamb shanks dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over high heat; sear lamb shanks in batches for about 5 minutes until browned.
- Remove shanks and drain excess fat from the pot.
- Turn heat to medium-low; add remaining olive oil. Sauté onion and garlic for 2 minutes, then add carrot and celery, cooking for 5 minutes until translucent.
- Add red wine, chicken stock, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaves. Stir to combine.
- Return lamb shanks to the pot, ensuring they are mostly submerged in the liquid.
- Bring to a simmer on the stove, then cover and transfer to the oven for 2 hours.
- Remove the lid and return to the oven for another 30 minutes.
- Check for tenderness; if not done, cover and continue cooking.
- Remove lamb from the pot and keep warm. Discard bay leaves and thyme.
- Strain the sauce into a bowl, pressing to extract liquid from the veggies.
- Return strained sauce to the pot and simmer if needed to thicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- For the buttered rice, rinse the Royal® Authentic Basmati Rice under cold water until clear. In a saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil.
- Add the rice and a pinch of salt. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until water is absorbed.
- Remove from heat, fluff the rice with a fork, and stir in the butter until melted.
- Serve lamb shanks over buttered rice with plenty of sauce.
- Garnish with fresh thyme if desired.
Note: For variations, see additional cooking methods for slow cooker or pressure cooker options for the lamb.