Moroccan Lamb Shanks with Apricots & Preserved Lemon

I’ve always adored Moroccan food. Here’s my version of some delicious braised lamb shanks.

I think the spices really make this dish. Cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cloves and saffron; just yum. The preserved lemon is such a nice addition too. The brightness and acidity it provides really plays well off of the rich lamb. Apricots add such a nice sweetness and contrast perfectly with the briny olives.

The best part is, you don’t even need a tagine to pull off this dish. The dutch oven works wonders here. You can even cook this entirely over the stove top if you wanted. As long as the lamb is browned well to start and braised low and slow, you’re in business.

This melt-in-your-mouth Moroccan lamb naturally goes well with some steamed couscous. I simply made mine with chicken broth and a pat of butter. The couscous is so good once it soaks up of those braising juices. Just so good.

Moroccan Lamb Shanks with Apricots

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★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Sabrina Russo
• Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x

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Description

Braised Moroccan lamb shanks are all about the spices. Cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cloves and saffron provide a beautiful balance of flavors. The preserved lemon adds brightness, apricots add sweetness and olives provide a briny bite.

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Ingredients

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• 1 ½ lbs bone-in lamb shanks (about 2)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp coriander seeds
• Vegetable oil, as needed
• 1 small cinnamon stick
• 3 whole cloves
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 ½ inch piece ginger, grated
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ preserved lemon, rinsed*
• 1 cup canned diced tomatoes in juices
• 1 large pinch saffron
• 3 cups low sodium chicken broth, or as needed
• ½ cup dried apricots
• ¼ cup whole green olives
• 1 ½ tbsp light brown sugar, or to taste
• 1 tbsp butter
• Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper
• 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped, plus more for garnish

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Instructions

1. Prep: Bring lamb shanks to room temperature for 30-60 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Toast & grind spices: In a dry pan, toast cumin and coriander seeds over medium heat for about 2-3 minutes, or until fragrant. Grind in a coffee or spice grinder and set aside.
3. Sear shanks: Heat a dutch oven over medium-high. Season lamb shanks with salt and pepper. Coat pan lightly with oil and add in lamb shanks. Brown lamb well on all sides, about 10 minutes total. Remove from the pan and set aside. Discard excess oil.
4. Chop preserved lemon: While shanks brown, use a knife to separate the pith from the pulp of the lemon. Thinly slice the pith and set aside. Finely chop the pulp, discarding any seeds and tough membrane.
5. Cook aromatics & tomatoes: Add 2 tablespoons of fresh oil to the pan. Reduce heat to medium and add in the onion. Season with salt and pepper, and sauté 3-5 minutes or until translucent. Stir in ginger, garlic, ground spices, cinnamon stick and cloves. Sauté about 30 seconds. Stir in the preserved lemon pulp, tomatoes and saffron.
6. Braise lamb: Return lamb to the pan. Pour in enough chicken broth to go ¾ of the way up the shanks. Do not add extra salt at this point as the preserved lemons are quite salty. Bring mixture to a boil. Cover and transfer the pot to the center rack of the oven. Braise for a total of 2-2 ½ hours or until meat is very tender. Check braising liquid every 30-60 minutes, adding water as needed, to maintain the level ¾ of the way up the lamb. When shanks are cooked, return the pot to the stove-top, remove lamb and cover to keep warm. Discard cinnamon stick and cloves.
7. Finish & serve: Add apricots, olives, lemon peel and cilantro to the braising liquid. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer about 7-10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. If the sauce is a bit too sour from the lemon, add sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the flavor is balanced. To finish the sauce, stir in butter until incorporated. Serve lamb shanks with sauce over couscous, and garnish with cilantro.

Notes

• Preserved lemons can be found in specialty stores or online. I bought mine on amazon.com.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
• Category: Main
• Method: Braise
• Cuisine: Moroccan

Nutrition

• Serving Size: ½ lamb shank
• Calories: 556
• Sugar: 6g
• Sodium: 280mg
• Fat: 30g
• Saturated Fat: 12g
• Carbohydrates: 24g
• Protein: 49g

Keywords: lamb, lamb shanks, Moroccan, tagine, apricots