Meredith had a little lamb… and it was delicious.

My mother-in-law has the tendency to bring meat as a present (we all remember the home defense roast story). This to other people would sound weird but to me it’s fantastic. So, for Christmas I got a leg of lamb that was raised by a local 4-H kid. It took everything in my power to save it till Easter but alas it didn’t happen as The Husband talked me into cooking it last week before one of his ultra trail running races. But yea, there’s always a silver lining as now you can have this fabulous (if I do say so myself) recipe just in time for Easter or whatever spring celebration you might be having. That’s right, ugh.. I mean I cooked this early especially for you. Who’s always looking out for you?

This recipe is inspired by a meal I had in California when I was out there for the California Raisin harvest. During a dinner at The Palms in Fresno, I ordered the lamb shank braised in red wine and tomatoes. It was heaven. So delicious in fact that the first thing I thought of when I got my hands on some lamb was remaking it and adding raisins that would provide a subtle sweetness this dish was missing.

Rich, elegant, and above succulent, Red Wine Braised Lamb is the perfect meal for special gatherings or just a meal at home. I can’t even describe how DELICIOUS this lamb is and how EASY it is to make. If you don’t believe me just try it and you will see. Cheers!

Red Wine Braised Leg of Lamb serves 8
prep time: 12 minutes · cook time: 4 hours 

• 5 pound leg of lamb (bone in or out)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon grapeseed or canola oil
• 2 cups dry red wine (try a Petit Syrha)
• 1 small 6 ounce can tomato paste
• 4 ripe tomatoes, quartered
• 3/4 cup golden raisins
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 3 sprigs fresh oregano
• 1 tablespoon butter
• garnish (optional): golden raisins, toasted pine nuts, or herbs

Preheat oven to 325°F. Season the leg of lamb with salt and pepper.

In a large braising pot or dutch oven, heat the oil on high until it smokes. (Don’t forget to turn your fan on or the smoke detector will go off and before you know it you’re surrounded by gorgeous firemen. On second thought…) Place the seasoned lamb in the pot and sear each side until dark brown, about 3 minutes a side.

Once the lamb is finished browning, turn off heat and add wine, tomato paste, tomatoes, raisins, garlic cloves, thyme, oregano, and rosemary. Stir to combine. Cover and place in the oven. Cook for 1 hour on 325°F. Then reduce heat to 275°F and braise for another 3 hours.

Once the lamb is finished, remove it to a plate and cover it with foil. Using a large strainer, strain the leftover ingredients from the stock, reserving the stock.

Pour the stock back into the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until reduced by half. Finish it off by adding butter and stir to combine.

All you need to do now is plate! The lamb is so tender it will fall off the bone. Serve with sauce and garnish with raisins. Make this meal in the photograph by making mashed potatoes and roasted Brussels sprouts or pair it with polenta, coscous, or risotto — all are fabulous. Cheers!