Oven-Braised Lamb Shanks Massaman Curry, Fall-Apart Tender
The oven handles all the work for this one-pan slow-roasted Lamb Shanks Massaman Curry, melting the meat off the bone as the liquid thickens.
A tight foil seal and a 350°F (180°C) oven save you from browning meat on the stove. This One-Pan Slow-Roasted Lamb Shanks Massaman Curry melts the meat off the bone over three hours. The braising liquid reduces into a thick sauce while the lamb caramelizes.
The lamb shanks
Foreshanks make up the small and medium lamb shanks, while hind shanks provide the large ones. A full 3 lb (1.5 kg) batch can be five small, four medium, or two to three large pieces. The massive hind shanks finish roasting in the exact same amount of time as the smaller cuts provided the braising liquid covers the bulk of the lamb. If you leave those big pieces sticking out above the sauce, they will need a much longer stay in the oven.
The curry paste and liquids
Commercial massaman curry paste provides the concentrated strength needed for this method. Homemade curry paste lacks this concentration and will leave the final dish weak. High-quality coconut milk contains a higher percentage of actual coconut extract. Low-sodium chicken stock prevents the sauce from becoming too salty as it reduces in the oven. If you only have regular stock available, replace 3/4 cup of the stock with water.
Mixing and baking
Whisk the coconut milk, chicken stock, and curry paste together right inside a 9 x 13-inch (22 x 33 cm) baking pan. Choosing a stoneware or tempered glass dish saves you from the heavy scrubbing that metal cookware requires. These materials clean up fast when left sitting in water for a short period.
Drop the onion, potatoes, star anise, cinnamon stick, and lamb shanks into the liquid. Turn the shanks over to coat the meat completely. Slow cooking extracts juices from the lamb to season the sauce without any need for pre-browning on the stove.
Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for two hours.
Browning the meat
Take off the foil after two hours. Bake the dish uncovered for another hour to an hour and a half. The uncovered roasting time thickens the braising liquid into a sauce and browns the meat. Turn the lamb twice while it bakes to help the meat brown evenly. Oven roasting handles both the caramelization and the sauce reduction. Slow cookers, pressure cookers, and stovetops fail to replicate this method.
Skimming the fat
Remove the lamb from the pan. Tilt the baking dish to pool the liquid at one end. This pushes the excess fat to the surface and makes it easier to skim. Work slowly and spoon out about 1/3 cup of the fat. Stir the remaining sauce well. The liquid is ready when it reduces into a thick syrup.
If the finished sauce feels too thin, remove the meat and return the dish to the oven to reduce it further. You can thin out a thick sauce by adding a little boiling water to reach your preferred consistency.
Meat substitutions
You can substitute a whole lamb shoulder for the shanks by cooking it upside-down for roughly three and a half hours. Various cuts of beef like cheeks, short ribs, long ribs, and osso bucco can also be used and take a similar amount of time to cook. Do not attempt to use brisket, silverside, or chuck beef, as these lack the flavor required for this technique. Chicken and pork are not recommended because they do not match the flavor and will not hold up to the extensive cooking time.
Serving and leftovers
Spoon the tender meat and thick sauce over bowls of steamed jasmine rice or your preferred variety. Garnish the portions with freshly sliced red chilli and coriander. Plain tomato wedges, sliced cucumber, fresh greens, and an unripe papaya salad are great accompaniments to set out on the side. When feeding a crowd, arrange the entire batch on one big platter to share at the table.
The dish tastes better when you make it a day ahead. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for four to five days or freeze them for up to three months. Reheat the covered dish in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for about 30 minutes. You can add a splash of water to loosen the cold sauce. Large pieces of meat will pop if you reheat them on high in the microwave.
Oven-Braised Lamb Shanks Massaman Curry, Fall-Apart Tender
Main
- 3 lb lamb shanks, 5 small, 4 medium, or 2 to 3 large
- 2 cup low-sodium chicken stock or broth
- 1 brown, white, or yellow onion, halved and sliced 1/3-inch (1 cm) thick
- 14 oz small potatoes, 1-inch (2.5 cm) wide, halve if bigger
- 4 oz Maesri Massaman curry paste, 1 can, or other brand
- 14 oz full-fat coconut milk, Ayam brand is best
- 1 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
Garnishes
- Red chilli, finely sliced, small for spicy, large for less spicy
- Steamed jasmine rice
- Coriander, cilantro
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Method
Substitutions
If you only have regular chicken stock instead of low-sodium, replace 3/4 cup of the stock with water to keep the sauce from getting too salty.
Short or long beef ribs, cheeks, and osso bucco can easily replace the lamb, as they require a similar cooking time.
Avoid using chuck beef, brisket, or chicken for this method because they either lack the necessary flavor or cannot withstand the long cooking time.
Storage
One-Pan Slow-Roasted Lamb Shanks Massaman Curry tastes even better when made a day ahead.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator for four to five days, or freeze the cooked dish for up to three months.
Reheat leftovers covered in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for about 30 minutes, adding a splash of water to loosen the sauce if needed.
Serving
Balance the meal with crisp side dishes, such as sliced cucumbers, raw tomato wedges, or simple leafy greens.
Common mistakes
Avoid using a slow cooker or stovetop for this recipe because those methods prevent the meat from caramelizing and the sauce from reducing properly.
Avoid using homemade curry paste for this recipe. Scratch-made versions lack the concentration of commercial brands, which will result in a dish with insufficient flavor.
Keep large hind shanks covered well below the surface of the sauce. Leaving these bulky cuts exposed extends the cooking time considerably.
Never reheat large pieces of meat on high power in the microwave because the rapid heating will cause them to pop.
Techniques
If your finished sauce turns out too thin, simply remove the meat and return the baking dish to the oven until the liquid reduces.
If the sauce reduces too much and becomes too thick, stir in a little boiling water to reach the right consistency.
Cook the curry in a glass baking pan or a ceramic dish rather than metal, because the baked-on sauce washes off easily once the pan sits in water for a little while.
Always let braised or roasted meats rest for a few minutes before serving so the hot juices can redistribute evenly.
When skimming fat from a pan sauce, a wide shallow spoon works best to lift the oil without scooping up the rich liquid underneath.
- Store
- One-Pan Slow-Roasted Lamb Shanks Massaman Curry tastes even better when made a day ahead. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for four to five days, or freeze the cooked dish for up to three months. Reheat leftovers covered in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for about 30 minutes, adding a splash of water to loosen the sauce if needed.
Can I use different cuts of beef instead of lamb?
Yes. Osso bucco, beef short ribs, long ribs, and beef cheeks all braise on a similar clock. Skip chuck, brisket, and silverside; they lack the richness this method needs.
What if I only have regular chicken stock instead of low-sodium?
If you only have regular stock, simply replace 3/4 cup of the stock with water. This prevents the sauce from becoming too salty as it reduces in the oven.
Can I make One-Pan Slow-Roasted Lamb Shanks Massaman Curry ahead of time?
Yes, the flavor actually improves when you make it a day ahead. You can store the leftovers in the refrigerator for four to five days or freeze the cooked dish for up to three months.
How should I warm up leftover portions of the lamb shanks?
Reheat the leftovers covered in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for about 30 minutes, adding a splash of water to loosen the cold sauce if necessary. Avoid reheating large pieces of meat on high power in the microwave because the rapid heating will cause them to pop.
What sides pair well with One-Pan Slow-Roasted Lamb Shanks Massaman Curry?
Plate the meat and its thickened sauce over steamed jasmine rice, or whichever rice you prefer. Crisp accompaniments provide a nice contrast to the hearty meal, so try serving the plates alongside fresh leafy greens, sliced cucumbers, or raw tomato wedges.
Can I use homemade curry paste for this dish?
Avoid using homemade curry paste for this recipe. A commercial massaman paste provides the highly concentrated flavor needed when cooking everything together in one pan, whereas a homemade version will leave the dish with insufficient flavor.
Why can I not make this in a slow cooker?
Using a slow cooker or stovetop prevents the necessary caramelization of the meat and reduction of the sauce. Oven roasting handles both of these crucial steps at the same time.
How do I fix a sauce that turns out too thin or too thick?
If the sauce is too thin, remove the meat and return the dish to the oven until the liquid reduces. If it becomes too thick, stir in a little boiling water to reach your preferred consistency.
Why is it important to rest braised meats before serving?
Letting braised or roasted meats rest for a few minutes allows the hot juices to redistribute evenly throughout the cut. This ensures the meat remains tender and moist when you finally serve it.
What is the easiest way to skim excess fat from a pan sauce?
Using a wide shallow spoon works best to lift the oil from the surface. This shape helps you scoop up the clear fat without grabbing the rich, flavorful liquid underneath.
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