Lamb Shanks Pomegranate Molasses (Printable)

Tender lamb shanks cooked with fragrant spices and pomegranate molasses for a rich, aromatic meal.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 4 lamb shanks (14–17.5 oz each)

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

02 - 2 medium onions, finely chopped
03 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 2 carrots, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced

→ Spices

06 - 2 tsp ground cumin
07 - 1 tsp ground coriander
08 - 1 tsp ground cinnamon
09 - 1/2 tsp ground allspice
10 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
11 - 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
12 - 1 1/2 tsp salt

→ Liquids

13 - 1 2/3 cups beef or lamb stock
14 - 3/4 cup pomegranate juice
15 - 3 tbsp pomegranate molasses
16 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
17 - 2 tbsp olive oil

→ Garnish

18 - Seeds from 1/2 pomegranate
19 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

# How To Make It:

01 - Set the oven to 320°F.
02 - Pat lamb shanks dry and season evenly with salt and black pepper.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown lamb shanks on all sides for about 8 minutes. Remove and set aside.
04 - In the same pot, add onions, carrots, and celery; cook for 5 to 7 minutes until softened.
05 - Stir in garlic, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, allspice, and smoked paprika; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
06 - Add tomato paste and cook for an additional minute, stirring continuously.
07 - Return lamb shanks to pot. Stir in pomegranate juice, stock, and pomegranate molasses. Bring to a gentle simmer.
08 - Cover pot and transfer to oven. Cook for 2 to 2.5 hours, turning shanks halfway through, until meat is tender and falls off the bone.
09 - Uncover pot for the final 20 minutes to thicken the sauce.
10 - Ladle sauce over lamb shanks and top with pomegranate seeds and chopped parsley before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The lamb becomes so tender it practically melts on your tongue, no knife required.
  • That pomegranate-spiced sauce tastes luxurious but comes together in a way that feels surprisingly manageable.
  • It fills your whole house with an aroma that makes people ask what you're cooking before they even sit down.
02 -
  • Don't skip the searing step; it's what gives the final dish depth and richness that you can't recover later.
  • If your sauce is too thin after cooking, remove the lid earlier next time or simply simmer it on the stovetop uncovered for a few extra minutes.
  • Pomegranate molasses is the non-negotiable ingredient here; regular molasses or balsamic won't capture that same tart complexity.
03 -
  • Let your meat come close to room temperature before searing; it browns more evenly and the internal temperature distributes better as it cooks.
  • If pomegranate molasses is hard to find, make a quick substitute by reducing pomegranate juice with a little sugar until syrupy, then add a squeeze of lemon juice for that tartness.

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