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    Home » Mains

    Moroccan Lamb

    December 5, 2020 by Lima 16 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Melt-in-your mouth lamb shanks in a rich, deeply flavored sauce. Just a quick sear and then the oven does the rest! Perfect for a cozy dinner and a no fuss, fail-safe way to put together a make-ahead show stopping entrée for the holidays!

    A half hour prep then hands off 'cause the oven does the rest..

    I've seen lamb shanks on the menu of every fine dining restaurant that I've gone to. What can I say, I love ordering it! Seeing that aromatic, deeply flavored sauce puddle over creamy mashed potatoes makes my heart sing...and boy was I was shocked to discover how easy and cheaper it was to make at home..

    Prep work literally consists of a little sautéing and searing, dumping the remaining ingredients into the pot and letting the oven do the rest of the work.

    What you need to make Moroccan Lamb

    All you really need to bring together the rich flavors is rosemary and thyme, garlic, tomato paste, cinnamon powder, an onion and some chicken stock. Cornstarch is used to thicken the sauce. I use olive oil because I love cooking with it, but any vegetable oil will do.

    My recipe includeother ingredients that I add to make the lamb more stew like - I love adding carrots and Klondike potatoes because it adds dimension. The prunes adds to the velvety texture and a little sweetness to the sauce.

    This recipe is fail-proof because it's really hard to overcook lamb. The worst that can happen is that the meat falls right off the bone when you serve it. Regardless, the meat will still be deliciously succulent and tender.


    • Lamb shanks are cut from the shin of the lamb. Because it is a hard working muscle, it is full of connective tissue and collagen. Lamb shanks are typically sold with the center bone intact and is cooked on the bone with no other prep required. It is a more affordable cut because it requires a longer cooking time. The easiest way to cook is through braising and slow cooking. The braising helps the sauce develop a deeper flavor. High oven heat tenderizes the meat making it melt-in-the mouth tender. Neck bones help develop a more intensely flavored broth. Both lamb shanks and neck bones are easily available in supermarkets.
    • Cornstarch used to help thicken the sauce and also to help more easily brown the meat.
    • Rosemary and thyme I use fresh rosemary and thyme but in a pinch dried rosemary and thyme will also do.
    • Garlic the garlic along with the rosemary and thyme is used to flavor the oil before braising the meat.
    • Tomato paste adds a hint of acidity and also helps thicken and intensify the flavor of the sauce.
    • Cinnamon powder is a dominant spice for this recipe.
    • Chicken stock and broth are used to create the braising liquid to submerge the shanks as well as to add flavor into the sauce.

    How to make Moroccan Lamb

    My recipe includes some other ingredients that I add to make the lamb more stew like - I love adding carrots and klondike potatoes because it adds dimension. The prunes add a little sweetness to the sauce.

    This recipe is fail-proof because its really hard to overcook lamb. The worst that can happen is that the meat falls right off the bone if you leave it in the oven too long. The meat is still deliciously succulent and tender.

    1. Boil the chicken stock and bouillon cube. set aside.
    2. Mix the cornstarch, salt and olive oil.
    3. Coat the lamb shanks and neckbones with the mixture.
    4. In a dutch oven, saute the garlic, rosemary and thyme in olive oil .
    5. Brown the coated lamb in the flavored olive oil.
    6. Add all the other ingredients into the dutch oven and bring to a boil.
    7. Bake covered for 1 ½ hours in an oven pre-heated to 450°F.

    How to serve Moroccan Lamb

    As with all red meat stews, this dish gets better with time. As a result its a great make-ahead dish for a party because resting it overnight or 1-2 days in the fridge intensifies the flavors.

    Couscous with mushrooms is a classic way to serve Moroccan lamb. To be honest though, I love having it over a pile of garlic mashed potatoes. Rice, polenta and if counting carbs, mashed cauliflower also pairs well with this dish. I have also served Moroccan lamb with crusty baguettes and roti. The essential thing is to have something to soak up that incredible sauce.

    A side salad with an acidic dressing complements the rich velvety sauce particularly well. My favorite side salad with this dish is Red Onion, Coriander and Lemon salad.

    Leftovers: Moroccan Lamb is awesome the next day. For optimal flavor, heat up the lamb, on low to medium heat on the stovetop and if eating with rice, reheat the rice in the microwave.

    Watch how to make Moroccan Lamb

    [embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4u_NwsXNk4[/embedyt]

     

    Moroccan Lamb
    Print Recipe
    5 from 9 votes

    Braised Moroccan Lamb

    Melt-in-your mouth lamb shanks in a rich, deeply flavored sauce. Just a quick sear and then the oven does all the work for you! Perfect for a cozy dinner and a no fuss, fail-safe way to put together a show stopping entrée for the holidays!
    Prep Time30 minutes mins
    Cook Time1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
    Total Time2 hours hrs
    Course: Dinner, Main Course, Main Dish
    Cuisine: MAIN DISHES
    Servings: 4 people

    Ingredients

    • 5 cups low sodium chicken stock
    • 1 chicken bouillon cube
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 4 tablespoon olive oil divided
    • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
    • 1 lb lamb neck cut into stew sized pieces
    • 3 lb lamb shank about 4
    • 2 sprigs rosemary fresh, about 8 inches
    • 8 sprigs thyme
    • 12 cloves garlic crushed
    • 1 onion large, cut into chunks
    • 2 tablespoon tomato paste
    • 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
    • 2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
    • 1 teaspoon cumin coriander powder optional
    • ½ teaspoon paprika powder optional
    • 8 prunes dried, optional
    • 2 jalapenos sliced, optional
    • 2 carrots large, sliced into ½ inch pieces, optional
    • 1 lb klondike fingerling potatoes cut in half, optional

    Instructions

    • Pre-heat the oven to 450° F.
    • Put the chicken stock and bouillon cube in a saucepan. Bring to boil. Set aside.
    • In a large bowl, combine the salt and corn starch with 2 tablespoon of olive oil . Add the lamb and coat thoroughly with the mixture.
    • Heat 2 tablespoon of olive oil in a large dutch oven (I use 6 ¾ quart) on medium high heat. Add the crushed garlic, rosemary and thyme and sauté until fragrant.
    • Brown the lamb pieces, a few at a time - about 3-4 minutes on each side.
    • Add all the remaining ingredients including the chicken broth and bring to a boil.
    • Cover the dutch oven and place in the middle rack. Cook until fork tender- about 1 ½ hours.
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Katrina Overcast

      December 07, 2024 at 7:17 pm

      5 stars
      The first time I have ever cooked lamb and this turned out wonderful! Everyone loved it.

      Reply
      • Lima

        December 27, 2024 at 11:16 am

        Awesome! Delighted that you liked our recipe!

        Reply
    2. Beth

      February 25, 2021 at 7:28 pm

      5 stars
      This looks so tasty and amazing! I can't wait to give this a try! So excited to give this a try! My family is going to love this recipe!

      Reply
      • Lima

        February 25, 2021 at 8:00 pm

        Beth - thank you so much! This is one of our favorite Sunday supper recipes!

        Reply
    3. Shelley

      February 25, 2021 at 7:03 pm

      5 stars
      Mmmmm ... I love these Moroccan flavors, and it's such a surprisingly easy dish to make!

      Reply
      • Lima

        February 25, 2021 at 8:00 pm

        Thank you -do let me know if you try it!

        Reply
    4. Ashley F.

      February 25, 2021 at 6:24 pm

      5 stars
      Really love that this was such a hands off type recipe! The oven did all of the work, and the meat turned out so tender!

      Reply
      • Lima

        February 25, 2021 at 6:59 pm

        Glad to hear it worked out - thrilled that you liked it!

        Reply
    5. Nathan

      February 25, 2021 at 6:10 pm

      5 stars
      I don't eat lamb nearly enough so this recipe is fantastic. Love the suggestions to serve over garlic mashed potatoes, that sounds so yummy!

      Reply
      • Lima

        February 25, 2021 at 6:11 pm

        Thank you so much - we have it almost every other week - one of those recipes that's great for a cold winter Sunday supper...

        Reply
    6. Tara

      February 25, 2021 at 5:54 pm

      5 stars
      This lamb looks so incredible with the perfect texture! Such a wonderful combination of spices and flavors too. Yum!

      Reply
    7. Sara Welch

      February 23, 2021 at 4:52 pm

      5 stars
      Enjoyed this for dinner last night and it did not disappoint! Everything a gourmet meal should be, and then some! Delish!

      Reply
      • Lima

        February 23, 2021 at 5:14 pm

        Thank you so much! I often rely on this recipe as its an easy 'impressive' dinner for me to put together and get right especially in the middle of a chaotic family gathering.

        Reply
    8. Md Tareq Habib

      February 23, 2021 at 4:46 pm

      5 stars
      This is a really great recipe - just made it last night - everyone loved it!

      Reply
      • Lima

        February 23, 2021 at 4:47 pm

        Delighted to hear that it went well! Thank you so much.

        Reply
    9. Lima

      February 23, 2021 at 4:40 pm

      5 stars
      Love this recipe!

      Reply

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