The Ferguson Recipes – Recipes, Plain & Simple
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The Ferguson Recipes – Recipes, Plain & Simple
🐑 Lamb Recipes

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🖨 🖨
Persian-spiced Lamb Shanks
Persian-spiced Lamb Shanks
{Serving suggestion only*}
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Transport your taste buds with these Persian-spiced Lamb Shanks featuring an intoxicating blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and saffron. The slow-braised meat becomes fork-tender while developing deep flavor from the aromatic spices and citrus notes. The technique of reducing the cooking liquid creates a rich, concentrated sauce that perfectly complements the succulent lamb. Impressive enough for special occasions yet simple enough for a memorable family dinner, especially served with traditional accompaniments.
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Ingredients
4 meaty lamb shanks (ask for the hind shanks), about 4 1/2 to 5 pounds
Salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground dried rosebuds, optional
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon turmeric
Vegetable oil
¼ teaspoon crumbled saffron

(continued in the next column ↗️)

Juice of 2 limes, about 4 tablespoons
3 teaspoons rosewater, available from Middle Eastern grocery shops
1 large onion, roughly chopped
½ teaspoon ground dried lime, or the zest of 1 fresh lime
Zest of 1 orange, plus 1 tablespoon more for garnish
A few thyme sprigs
2 fresh bay leaves
6 cups hot chicken broth or water
2 tablespoons roughly chopped parsley, for garnish
2 tablespoons roughly chopped mint or dill, for garnish
Directions
  • Trim any excess fat from lamb shanks and season generously with salt.
  • Mix together the cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, rosebuds (if using), black pepper and turmeric.
  • Sprinkle evenly over shanks and rub into meat.
  • Let sit at room temperature at least an hour, or wrap and refrigerate overnight, then bring to room temperature.
  • Place a Dutch oven or deep, heavy pot over medium-high heat and add oil to a depth of 1/2 inch.
  • When oil is hot, add 2 lamb shanks and fry until nicely browned on all sides, about 5 minutes.
  • Remove and set aside, then brown the 2 remaining shanks.
  • Meanwhile, put saffron in a small bowl with lime juice, 2 teaspoons rosewater and 1/2 cup warm water.
  • Let steep for 10 minutes.
  • Heat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Carefully remove all but 2 tablespoons oil from Dutch oven.
  • Add chopped onion and cook over medium heat until softened and lightly colored, 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Season onion with salt, then add lime zest, orange zest, thyme sprigs and bay leaves.
  • Stir in saffron mixture.
  • Lay in the lamb shanks and add the broth.
  • Bring to a boil, then turn off heat and cover pot.
  • Transfer pot to oven and bake for about 1 1/2 hours, covered, until meat is tender when probed and beginning to fall from the bone.
  • Remove lamb shanks to a deep serving dish and keep warm.
  • Strain braising juices through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing with a wooden spoon to obtain all the liquid (discard thyme, bay leaves and onions).
  • Skim fat, then taste and add salt if necessary.
  • Add 1 more teaspoon rosewater, if desired.
  • Reheat strained juices and pour over lamb shanks.
  • Combine parsley, mint and reserved orange zest and sprinkle over top.
  • Use a large spoon to break the tender shank meat into large chunks.
  • Serve in low, wide soup plates, giving each portion a spoonful of the juices.
  • Accompany with steamed Basmati rice, lavash flatbread or a loaf of crusty French bread.
Servings\Yield
Serves 4
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Per Serving: Calories: 580; Total Fat: 32g (Saturated Fat: 12g); Cholesterol: 195mg; Sodium: 840mg; Total Carbohydrates: 14g (Dietary Fiber: 2g, Sugars: 4g); Protein: 58g
*Nutrition information is provided as a general estimate only. Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients, and is based on available nutrient data. Variations may occur based on ingredient brands and preparation methods.
💬 Uncle Dave says... From The New York Times
🧑‍🍳 The Cook:  Anonymous 🔑 Keywords: Lamb, Middle Eastern
🗂️ Categories: 🐑 Lamb, 🌯 Middle Eastern, 🍗 Chicken & Other Poultry, 🌎 World Food
📚 Collections: The TFR Cookbook
Persian-spiced Lamb Shanks was added on December 08, 2014 and last updated on December 20, 2025.
*Serving suggestion only. 😂 If a food photo doesn't look like it was taken by a monkey named Frank, it was most likely AI generated and not the result of Frank's minimal culinary or photographic skills. Unless you failed the "I'm not a robot" test, your recipes will probably not look like the ones in the pictures. See Creamy Turkey Veggie Soup to read more about AI images.
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