This Lamb Shank and Rhubarb Tagine is a deliciously tangy tagine, full of sweet and sour flavours that complement the lamb so perfectly.
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Lamb Shank and Rhubarb Tagine
For today’s Tagine Masterclass recipe, I drew inspiration from an old Persian family favourite, Khoresh Rivas, or Rhubarb Stew. The Persian rhubarb stew is pretty simply flavoured, with just a few ingredients, and I’ve tried to keep with that theme for this Lamb Shank and Rhubarb Tagine dish as well. So we’re going with flavours that will both complement and contrast with the sweet and sour nature of rhubarb.
As it’s spring time here in the northern hemisphere, both lamb and rhubarb are in season, so what better time to make this tagine recipe then now? I happen to have a whole lot of rhubarb at home, and have been playing around with it in the kitchen quite a bit.
This Lamb Shank and Rhubarb Tagine is a delicious pot of meltingly tender bold meat, that’s complemented by the sharp and sour rhubarb, the sweet tomatoes and all the flavours further enhanced and brought together by the sweet and a touch sour apples. Some bread, in my opinion, is the best way to enjoy this complex mixture of flavours. Couscous, rice or even pasta will be the next best thing!
Can you use other Cuts of Lamb?
Yes, absolutely! Today’s Lamb Shank and Rhubarb Tagine recipe can be cooked with other parts of lamb suitable for stews. Something that benefits from low and slow cooking is what you want to go for.
Shoulder or leg is always going to be perfect and you can have it diced too for easier eating. I, however, am a huge fan of lamb shanks; they are not very fatty, and while tough in their natural form, are amazingly tender and falling off the bone when cooked for a long time, as we are doing here in this tagine recipe.
Finishing the Lamb Shank and Rhubarb Tagine
I add some pomegranate seeds right at the end, merely for aesthetic purposes, as they are my go-to food bling. You can omit them, use almonds, pine nuts or nothing at all, apart from the parsley. If you are using fresh pomegranate seeds, the juice that you get when squeezing out the seeds will be great added to the tagine right at the end, as a natural sweetener, further enhancing the varied flavours of the dish. But only 2-3 tablespoons, no more.
Do you need a Tagine Pot?
Nope, absolutely not. If you do not own a tagine, you can make this recipe in any casserole type dish, a dutch oven or even a regular old saucepan. And the recipe will also work in a slow cooker. Just follow the steps as detailed here, and turn your slow cooker on!
See gallery below for the okra tagine. In the meantime, if you would like to omit the lamb here, you can, and substitute with potatoes and carrots.
More Tagine Recipes
For more tagine recipes, be sure to visit the Tagine Masterclass page, for amazing stuff like:
If you like the recipe, don’t forget to leave me a comment and that all important, 5-star rating! Thank you!
And if you make the recipe, share it on any platform and tag me @azlinbloor, and hashtag it #linsfood
Lin xx
Lamb Shank and Rhubarb Tagine
Ingredients
- 4 lamb shanks
- 2 large onions
- 2 medium tomatoes
- 3 large rhubarb stalks
- 2 apples
- 125 ml half a cup water
Garnish
- small handful flat or curly parsley
- 2 Tbsp pomegranate seeds optional
Marinade
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp powdered ginger
- half tsp mild chilli powder
- half tsp coarsely ground black pepper
- small pinch saffron crumbled
- 1 Tbsp EV olive oil
Instructions
- Make 3-4 deep slashes into the shanks.
- Mix all the marinade ingredients together and rub it all over the lamb shanks, getting the marinade into the slashes and between the layers of the meat. Cover with a clingfilm and leave to marinate for 2 hours or so, or if you have time, overnight. If you are marinating overnight, place the lamb in the fridge but remember to bring them out about 30 minutes before you plan to cook them, to allow the meat to come to room temperature.
- Slice the onions and tomatoes into rings.
- Cut up the rhubarb into roughly 5cm (2″) chunks.
- Slice the apples into about 6 slices from each apple.
- Line a tagine or casserole dish with half the onions, followed by half the tomatoes, half the rhubarb chunks and half the apple slices.
- Place the lamb shanks onto the fruit and vegetable bed.
- Slowly pour the water into the tagine, along the side of the dish, being careful not to “rinse” the lamb.
- Finish off by adding the rest of the onions, tomatoes, rhubarb and apples on and around the lamb shanks.
- Place the pot on the hob on medium high heat, remembering the diffuser if you are using a tagine itself.
- Bring everything to a simmer, then lower the heat almost right down and cook at a simmer for 3 and a half to 4 hours if using a tagine and 2 hours, if not. The meat should be falling off the bone at this stage.
- When done, take off heat and leave the tagine to rest for 10 minutes.
- Scatter the parsley and pomegranate seeds (if using) all over and serve.
To Cook in the Oven
- Place the filled tagine in your COLD oven. Shut the door, then turn the oven on to 180˚C (350˚F/160˚C Fan).
- Cook for about 4-4 1/2 hours. This longer time is because the oven, the tagine and its contents need a good 30 minutes to warm up to simmering point.
- All claypots need to start cooking in a cold oven.
Lin,
Love this recipe. Was wondering if the dish could be assembled and placed in the tagine in 300 F degree oven for 3 1/2 hours as opposed to doing on top of the stove?
Hi Richard, I do apologise for getting back to you so late. Yes, you can, increasing that tim to a good 4 hours, as the oven and tagine contents will need 30 minutes or so to warm up. Just be sure to place the tagine in a COLD oven, then turn the oven on.
I’ll add the alternative cooking times to all my oven recipes, thanks to your query.
I have never thought of using rhubarb is a savoury dish. This recipe is very intriguing! I definitely want to try it!
It’s like adding a fruity, souring agent.
Very delicious but all the fruit and vegetables cooked down completely to make a “gravy”. What did I do wrong?
Nothing! That’s exactly how it should be. Meat tagines, more often that not, produce gravy that is thickened by the vegetables. It does also depend on the type of vegetables used. Here, rhubarb, onions and the apple are soft and therefore do breakdown upon prolonged cooking. Had we used some carrots, we would have had them whole at the end, super soft, but still whole.
I hope that helps.
Definitely delicious and you captures it perfectly. Omg your post makes me hungry 🙂
Fruits, veggies and lamb, all in one dish. Sounds delicious to me. I don’t usually eat lamb shank but trying this recipe looks like a great way to try it.
I would never have thought to put rhubarb and lamb together! What a delicious mix of flavours.
Thank you, Amy, it is an interesting combination.
This is the best blog of today, I learned a lot your content is mind blowing, Keep Blogging
thank you, much appreciated!
This dish looks so fancy! I would love to serve it for dinner!
OMG! That looks amazing! I’m such a foodie but I never cook for myself. I typically go out to eat. I might have to make an exception with this recipe! <3
I’m sure that the lamb will turn out very tender. I don’t eat meat but I appreciate you sharing your knowledge on Tagine.
I like that it has fruits and veggies, it’s definitely going to add interesting flavors to the dish. I have never tried cooking like this before.
I miss cooking like this. My ex husband is arabic so i used to cook like this often. Now tend to not bother. Think i will arrange a get together with friends and do a tagging 🙂
OMG! that looks so so mouth watering. What a delicious and GORGEOUS masterpiece…
I have only had lamb a few times to some mixed results at various places. This does look yummy. And I love rhubarb so I would definitely be willing to give this a try.
This dish looks delicious! I love lamb, the meat has so much good flavors. I definitely need to try out this recipe!
http://prettyfitfoodie.com/2017/04/24/best-2017-spring-summer-orange-county-food-events/
Those flavours look so warming and happy! I’m a HUGE fan of lamb shanks
Wow and wow, with an influx of rhubard this came out of the blue as I was running out of ideas. Sorry to say I did add some garam masala and used the slow cooker – I like my lamb well done!
Thank you
Ooo this looks so delicious! I think everyone in the house would enjoy it.
Wow! That sounds really tasty. I have never had lamb shank before, but would love to try it.
I have never eaten lamb, but this looks amazing! Sounds like something I would really love!
Oh my days that looks delicious! I am partial to a bit of tagine based cuisine so this is perfect for me!
Katja xxx
http://www.katnapped.com
This looks amazing. My fiancé loves lamb shank. I will definitely give this a go. Lovely pics!
What a delicious and GORGEOUS Masterclass… and this looks like a masterpiece fir sure! I can understand why the kids ❤️ it!