Braised lamb shank and chestnut ragu with orzo

Save this lamb shank recipe for Easter and beyond: it works for all seasons and celebrations and produces a gorgeously rich and intense ragu that your guests will remember for a long time.

When I’m cooking for a special occasion, this is the recipe I always fall back on. Lamb shanks are a little more pricey than lamb mince, but boy do they give you bang for your buck.

I’ve used two shanks as the base for my sweet and aromatic ragu, which is intensely flavoured with all those gorgeous lamb juices.

After 2 hours in the oven, the meat literally falls off the bone and just needs to be shredded and folded through the orzo for a bit of theatre at the dinner table.

The chestnuts are optional, but they might just be my new favourite ‘cheat’ ingredient. I’ve always got a packet to hand to add pops of sweetness and elevate an everyday dish into something a bit special.  

How To Make Braised Lamb Shank And Chestnut Ragu With Orzo

• Chef Catling’s recipe notes
• Recipe: Braised lamb shank and chestnut ragu with orzo
• Frequently asked questions

Tips & Notes To Know

• Skim the sauce: Lamb shanks can release a lot of fat. Skim this off the surface toward the end of cooking for a cleaner, richer sauce.
• Adapt to suit your budget: If lamb shanks are still too pricey, lamb neck, lamb shoulder or beef shin are excellent substitutes. They’re tough cuts that become beautifully tender after slow cooking.

Lamb shank and chestnut ragu with orzo

Serves: 4 Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 2+ hours 2+ hours

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Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
2 large lamb shank (about 400/500g each)
1 large red onion, finely sliced
2 small carrots, peeled and finely diced
1/2tsp mixed spice
1/2 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
400ml lamb stock
1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
1 cinnamon stick
1 dried bay leaf
16 cherry tomatoes
1/2 tbsp dried oregano
1/2 x 180g pouch cooked chestnuts
1/2 tbsp honey
250g dried orzo

Instructions

Step 1
Heat the olive oil in a large casserole dish over a medium heat and brown the lamb shanks all over for 5 minutes or until nicely coloured. Remove and set aside.

Step 2
In the residual oil, toss in the red onion and carrots and cook gently for 5 minutes or until starting to soften, adding a splash of water if necessary if it starts to catch.

Step 3
Stir in the mixed spice, rosemary and garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the lamb shank back to the pan and pour over the lamb stock and chopped tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the bay leaf and cinnamon stick. 

Step 4
Cover the casserole dish with a lid and cook in a preheated oven at 180C for 2 hours or until the lamb meat pulls off the bone. Add the oregano, chestnuts, cherry tomatoes and honey for the final 30 minutes of cooking.

Step 5
With 5 minutes to go, add the orzo to a pan of salted boiling water and cook according to pack instructions while the lamb ragu rests. 

Step 6
Drain the orzo, if necessary, reserving a few dregs of pasta water. Stir the orzo and starchy water through the tomato sauce (don’t forget to discard the bay leaf and cinnamon stick) and shred the lamb at the table before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Thicken The Ragu If It Is Too Watery?

To thicken any sauce, mix 1 tablespoon each of cornflour and water until well combined. Gradually stir into your sauce or stew until it reaches the desired consistency.

Should I Use Fresh Or Dried Herbs?

Dried herbs are an inexpensive staple in my store cupboard and tend to have a deeper flavour than fresh. They benefit from some cooking to rehydrate the leaves, though if you add them too early to a dish or boil them to death, they will turn black and potentially ruin the final product.

Fresh, leafy herbs like basil, parsley and coriander are best added towards the end of cooking (or preferably after) to preserve their fragrance and vibrancy, while woody herbs like rosemary and thyme release their flavours and aromas gradually and benefit from longer cooking times.

Just remember the 3:1 ratio. Triple the volume if you want to use fresh herbs instead of dried. Divide the volume by three if you want to use dried herbs instead of fresh.

Should I Use Packet Or Fresh Chestnuts?

Chestnuts are an autumn fruit, hence they are only ‘in season’ between September and November. Outside of this period, you can save yourself a lot of money and hassle by purchasing chestnuts which have already been cooked, peeled and vacuum-packed.

Merchant Gourmet is the market leader, but you can pick up own-brand ranges from Lidl and Aldi for two thirds of the price.