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Two oval dishes filled with lamb shank shepherd's pie and a spoon resting beside them.
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5 / 4 votes

Lamb Shank Shepherd’s Pie

This shepherd's pie strays a touch from tradition, relying on tender braised lamb shank rather than the typical ground lamb. Call us rebels.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time4 hours
Course: Mains
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 to 10 servings
Calories: 582

Ingredients

For the lamb stew

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 (3 to 4 pounds total) lamb shanks
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 small or 1/2 large onion, cut into quarters
  • 6 sprigs thyme or rosemary
  • 1 cup dry red wine
  • 2 tablespoons (1 oz) unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small or 1/2 large onion, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup dry red wine
  • 2 cups reserved cooking liquid from the lamb, beef stock or homemade chicken stock
  • 1 tablespoon store-bought or homemade tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon thyme leaves
  • 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
  • 4 medium (7 oz) carrots, cut into 1/2-inch (12-mm) chunks
  • One (10-ounce) bag frozen green peas
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the potato topping

  • 2 pounds sweet potatoes, (or substitute butternut squash or rutabagas), peeled and cut into large chunks
  • 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, (about 4 or 5), peeled and cut into slightly smaller chunks than the sweet potatoes
  • 6 tablespoons (3 oz) unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary leaves
  • Ground paprika
US - Metric

Instructions

Make the lamb stew

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
  • In a large Dutch oven or a deep ovenproof skillet with a lid, heat the oil over medium-high heat until sizzling hot. Season the lamb generously with salt and pepper to taste. Cook until brown, about 5 minutes per side. Place the lamb on a plate.
  • Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion to the same skillet, and cook, stirring, until the onion is tender and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the thyme and wine and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
  • Return the lamb to the pan and add enough water to cover about 2/3 of the way up the lamb. Bring the liquid to a low boil. Cover the pan tightly and place in the oven, undisturbed, until the lamb is fork-tender, about 2 1/2 hours.
  • Remove the pan from the oven. Remove the lamb from the liquid (reserving the liquid) to cool slightly. Pull the lamb off the bones in large chunks. You should have about 4 cups cooked meat. (This can be done several days in advance. Store refrigerated in the liquid. The fat will rise to the top and you can skim it off after it has cooled completely.)
  • In a large skillet over medium-high, heat 2 tablespoons butter and the olive oil until sizzling hot. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 5 minutes.
  • Sprinkle 2 to 4 tablespoons flour (the more flour you add, the thicker the consistency of the resulting stew) over the onion and continue to cook, stirring constantly, another 2 minutes.
  • Slowly add the second cup of wine and scrape up brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Whisk in the broth or reserved cooking liquid, about 1/2 cup at a time, and bring to a low boil, whisking constantly. It may be necessary to add a little more stock or water to achieve the desired consistency. Stir in the tomato paste to mix, reduce the heat to simmer, and cook about 10 minutes.
  • Add the lamb, thyme, parsley, carrots, and peas, and continue to cook until the carrots are tender, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (For best results, make the stew a day in advance, let it cool, cover, and refrigerate it overnight. Then gently rewarm over low heat prior to proceeding. This allows the flavors of the stew to meld and play nicely with one another.)

Make the potato topping

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly butter or oil a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking dish.
  • While the filling is cooking, place the sweet potatoes and potatoes in a large pot of boiling water and cook until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain, add the butter, season with salt and pepper to taste, and mash until smooth.

Assemble the shepherd's pies

  • Pour the filling into the prepared baking dish and plop the potato mixture on top by the spoonful here and there. (You don't want to smooth the mash on top of the surface but rather create discrete portions of mashed potatoes atop the stew so later, when serving, guests can scoop out a portion of stew and mash in a single fell swoop.)
  • Sprinkle with rosemary and paprika, and place in the oven until golden brown on top and bubbling around the edges, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve warm, scooping out a portion of the potatoes and lamb for each serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 582kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 250mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 10g