Recipe

Season And Brown Lamb Shanks

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Season shanks with salt and pepper.
3. Heat oil in large heavy-gauge, oven-safe pot over medium-high heat.
4. Working in batches, add shanks to pot and cook until brown on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Reserve shanks on plate.
5. Pull pot off heat and let cool 5 minutes.

Sweat Vegetables

1. Return pot to medium heat. Add onions and carrots. Cook until golden, 4 minutes.
2. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes. Add thyme. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Braise Lamb Shanks

1. Return lamb shanks to pot on vegetables.
2. Add tomatoes and Guinness. Add enough chicken stock to make liquid reach halfway up sides of meat. Increase heat and bring to boil. Place piece of parchment on surface of meat. Top pot with lid. Transfer to oven and braise 1 hour.

Add Potatoes And Braise

1. Open pot and transfer shanks to plate.
2. Stir in potatoes and mushrooms.
3. Return shanks; push down to submerge in liquid. If needed, top up with more chicken stock to reach halfway up meat.
4. Cover. Return to oven. Cook 30 minutes.
5. Remove pot lid and parchment, and cook uncovered 30 more minutes to brown meat. (Lamb can be cooked one day ahead. To do so, let cool to room temperature in pot, then refrigerate overnight. Reheat in oven at 350°F, 30 to 45 minutes.)

Reduce Sauce And Serve

1. Transfer shanks and vegetables to platter and loosely cover to keep warm.
2. Bring sauce left in pot to boil and cook until thick enough to coat back of spoon.
3. Spoon sauce over shanks and serve.