Oven-braised lamb: A deeply comforting meal that's mostly hands-off

Looking for a cosy dinner that doesn’t require much time in the kitchen? This fall-off-the-bone braised lamb is the answer — it cooks low and slow and is mostly hands-off. First, the meat is lightly seared, then it’s transferred to the oven and braised in an aromatic tomato-based broth for several hours until it’s unbelievably tender. Served on a bed of mashed potatoes and topped with gravy, it’s a deeply comforting meal that’s perfect for cold weather.

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg bone-in lamb shoulder, cut into 3-inch chunks, excess fat trimmed
• 5 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 1¼ tsp black pepper, divided
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 whole cinnamon stick
• 4 whole green cardamom pods
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• 1 (400 ml) can crushed tomatoes or passata
• 3 bay leaves
• 4 cups plus 2 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp finely-chopped parsley, to garnish

Preparation

Heat oven to 350 F with a rack in the middle position. 

Season lamb on all sides with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Heat oil in a large oven-safe pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add meat and sear, turning occasionally, until lightly golden on all sides, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

To the same pot, add onions and 2 teaspoons salt, and sauté until softened, around 6 to 7 minutes. Add cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, tomato paste, garlic, ground cinnamon, cumin, coriander and remaining ¼ tsp pepper. Stir, and continue to cook for 3 to 4 more minutes.

Add crushed tomatoes, bay leaves, 4 cups water and the remaining teaspoon salt, then bring to a simmer.

Add lamb back to the pot, cover and transfer to the oven, then cook until the meat is fork-tender, 3 to 4 hours. 

Remove lamb from the pot and carefully strain braising liquid into a small pan over medium heat. Taste and adjust seasoning. 

In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and 2 tablespoons cold water. Stir the slurry into the pot and simmer until thickened, 5 minutes. 

Serve lamb over mashed potatoes with a generous spoon of gravy on top and garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.

Serves 6

Produced in collaboration with CBC Creator Network.