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Lamb ragu is the alternate version to my beef short rib ragu and it is just as elegant and decadent as is comforting. Lamb shoulder is slowly braised in a tomato and red wine sauce until they’re fall apart tender. Combined with vegetables and herbs, the robust flavors of the lamb make for a boldly flavored ragu sauce to serve over pasta or mashed potatoes.
Elevate Dinner Parties with Lamb Ragu
I typically make my beef short rib ragu every Christmas Eve but recently decided to change it up and make lamb ragu. The rich flavors of the lamb make this ragu have a depth of flavor that no other meat can give it. If you’re a fan of lamb and you’re looking for a way to elevate Christmas Eve dinner, this lamb ragu is definitely one to try.
Everything from the tender, fall apart lamb to the sweet vegetables, spicy red wine, and herby sauce make for an ultra cozy and elegant dinner. I particularly like serving lamb ragu with garlic mashed potatoes and a green vegetable, but you can easily serve this over your favorite pasta. Did I mention that lamb ragu freezes so well, too? Not only will you potentially have leftovers, you’ll be able to enjoy this lamb meal months later when the craving hits or when you’re out of dinner ideas and remember you froze this!
Recipe Tips
These tips are what make the lamb ragu the best that it can be. Skipping or omitting steps might not yield in the best results so take care to follow these tips!
- Sear and brown the lamb. This builds a lot of flavor for the beef and the ragu!
- Load the veggies and herbs. Truth be told, I’m very heavy-handed when it comes to this portion of the recipe. I sometimes feel there is never such thing as too many vegetables. The vegetables are heavily cooked down in the 3 hour braise so loading up the ragu with vegetables isn’t a bad thing, and it brings a lot of flavor to the sauce. The herbs help perfume the ragu with the earthy trio of sage, thyme, and rosemary. Use FRESH!
- I like using a bold and peppery red wine in this because I think it helps build the flavor. I am no sommelier, but I typically grab a peppery Spanish red wine.
Alternate Cooking Methods
This recipe is made for the stovetop, but I’ve included an oven method, slow cooker method, and Instant Pot method. I still recommend stovetop and oven as opposed to slow cooker or Instant Pot. I just love the slow simmer.
Oven: preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Prep steps 1-7 as instructed then cover the Dutch oven and place onto the middle rack of the oven. Cook covered for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
Slow cooker: prep steps 1-6 as instructed, carefully transfer ingredients into the insert of your slow cooker, adding liquids and herbs, stirring to combine. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
Instant Pot: turn on the sauté function of your Instant Pot and sear the beef. Continue prepping all steps through step 7. Cover your Instant Pot with the lid, make sure it is on SEALED, and cook on manual high pressure for 60 minutes. Allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes before venting.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Refrigerator: allow leftovers to cool then store in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. To reheat, portion out how much you want to eat into a microwave-safe bowl and reheat until warmed through. You may also do this in a small pot on the stovetop and reheat until warmed through.
Freezer: use 2 cup Souper Cube trays to freeze leftovers! Allow leftovers to cool then ladle into the trays. Freeze for up to 5 months. To reheat, remove the tray from the freezer and allow 5-10 minutes on the countertop before popping out the cube. Place the cube into a pot and warm through on the stovetop over medium heat.
Lamb Ragu
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (907 g) lamb shoulder, cubed into 1” pieces
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 large carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 stalks celery, finely diced
- 8 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 6 ounces (170 g) tomato paste
- 1 cup (237 ml) dry, bold red wine
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 4 sprigs fresh sage leaves
- 12 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 parmesan rind
- 14 ounces (397 g) crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups (473 ml) low-sodium beef broth/stock
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season
Instructions
- In a large, heavy-bottom pot like a Dutch oven, add olive oil to the pot over medium-high heat.
- Pat dry the lamb shoulder with a paper towel and then generously season all sides with kosher salt and pepper.
- Once the oil is hot, add the lamb to the pot. You may have to do it in batches so it doesn’t overcrowd the pot (which would prevent browning). Cook 3-4 minutes per side until browned and has a bit of a crust. Remove and set aside on a plate. Repeat as necessary. If there is a significant amount of oil after cooking, remove all but 2 tablespoons.
- Reduce heat to medium then add carrots, onions, celery, and garlic to the pot. Stir with a wooden spoon and cook until tender and softened, about 10-15 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste to the pot and stir to coat everything in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.
- Increase the heat to medium high and slowly pour in the red wine to deglaze the pan. As you’re pouring the red wine in, use your wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan to lift the stuck on browned bits. Cook for about 5 minutes or until most of the liquid has absorbed into the vegetables.
- Tie the herbs (rosemary, sage, thyme) together with kitchen twine and add to the pot. Add the bay leaves, parmesan rind, crushed tomatoes, and beef stock to the pot. Add the lamb back into the pot. Stir to combine and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover and simmer for 3 hours, or until the meat is falling off the bone. If it’s reducing too quickly, add in more liquid (½ cup at a time).
- Once the lamb is tender and falling apart, turn off the heat and using tongs, remove the spent herb bundle, bay leaves, and parmesan rind. Remove the short ribs and put them on a large cutting board.
- Using forks, shred the lamb then add them back into the pot and stir to combine.
- At this point, you may either use the ragu with pasta, or spoon over a bed of mashed potatoes, or allow to cool and freeze for later.
Nutrition
Photographs by Eat Love Eat
