This Xinjiang style roast lamb shank is fall-off-the-bone tender, very juicy with a buttery texture, and bold in flavor. It’s very easy to prepare and cook, and a perfect centerpiece for your weekend dinner or holiday feast.
What is Xinjiang roast lamb shank
Xinjiang is in the northwest part of China, home to the Uyghur ethnic minority. Xinjiang cuisine is known for its bold, earthy flavors, which are closely connected to Central Asian cuisine, given Xinjiang’s location along the ancient Silk Road.
When mentioning Xinjiang roast lamb (新疆烤羊肉), the charcoal grilled lamb skewers usually come to mind immediately. Since lamb is a staple in the region, there are quite a few dishes that feature juicy and tender lamb meat that is boldly flavored, such as this roast lamb shank.
The lamb is marinated with a variety of spices, including cumin, chili flakes, Sichuan peppercorns, onion, ginger and salt to tenderize the meat. Cumin is the star spice, giving the dish its signature smoky, aromatic profile. The lamb shank is wrapped in foil and roasted at a low temperature, allowing the connective tissue to melt away while the meat cooks to juicy perfection.
Roast lamb shank ingredients
Chinese chili flakes
Chinese chili flakes are semi-coarse flakes that contain various types of ground chili peppers, such as Er Jing Tiao and Facing Heaven. It’s not very spicy and has a nice smoky aroma.
My favorite Chinese chili flakes are the ones from The Mala Market. They are directly imported from Sichuan and are very fresh and fruity. And it has a very nice balance that is fragrant and not too spicy.
If Chinese chili flakes are not available, you can also use Korean chili flakes (Gochugaru). It is milder than Chinese chili flakes but will work very well too. If you prefer your lamb shank a bit spicier, you can always serve it with a bit of chili oil, or replace 1/4 to 1/4 teaspoons of the chili flakes with cayenne pepper in the recipe below.
Sichuan peppercorns
Sichuan peppercorn (Hua Jiao, 花椒) tastes numbing, tingling, and somewhat refreshing like mint. Although cumin and chili are the dominant spices in Xinjiang cooking, Sichuan peppercorns are sometimes used to add a bright, zesty flavor and a mild numbing effect. The peppercorns work well with the meat’s oily texture, balancing the richness with a tingly sharpness.
Fresh Sichuan peppercorns have an intense, captivating aroma that lingers around the nose, and the freshness of the peppercorns makes a huge difference in the final dish.
I highly recommend the Sichuan peppercorns from The Mala Market. They are extra fresh and fragrant, much more potent than the ones you usually find at Asian markets outside of China.
Mise en place
Roast lamb shank only requires a few ingredients:
- Lamb shank
- Salt
- Cumin Powder
- Chinese chili flakes
- Sichuan Peppercorns, ground
- Ginger
- Onion
- Cilantro for garnish (Optional)
How to make roast lamb shank
Making roast lamb shanks is super easy and hands-off. It requires a little planning ahead because you’ll want to marinate the lamb shanks for longer for the best flavor. But once marinated, you only need to slow roast them in the oven.
- Generously season lamb shanks with salt
- Evenly sprinkle the spice mix all over the lamb
- Place the lamb shanks in a large ziplock bag, then place ginger slices all over
- Spread the onion over the lamb, and marinate overnight
- Remove all aromatics and place the lamb shanks in a roasting pan, then spray with oil
- Roast the lamb at high heat to brown the surface
- Then lower the oven temperature, cover the pan with foil, and keep roasting for 2 hours
- Garnish with cilantro and serve
Slow roasting makes the best lamb shanks
Lamb shanks have a lot of connective tissue, which is very tough. By slowly roasting the shanks with the pan covered, the connective tissue dissolves and becomes buttery tender once cooked. The lean part remains juicy and will literally fall off the bones when touched by a fork.
Be sure not to uncover the foil and peek at the lamb during the roasting process!
What to do with the onion?
You will have quite a lot of onion slices left once the lamb shanks are done marinating. You can either discard them or use them in the cooking.
My favorite way is to stir fry the onions in some olive oil over medium-low heat. Because the onions will be coated with spices, it’s harder to make them into caramelized onions without burning the spices. But if you stir fry them over lower heat and cook them long enough (about 20 minutes), they will become very tender, sweet, and nicely charred on the edges.
I like to roast some potatoes and toss the stir fried onion with them. It makes a great side dish to go with the lamb shank.
How to serve roast lamb shank
Roast lamb shank makes a great centerpiece on your dinner table. In Beijing where I grew up, it’s very common to serve it with other side dishes such as vegetables and steamed rice. In Xinjiang, it’s commonly served with clay stove baked bread (Nang Bing).
If you’re serving roast lamb shank for a Chinese dinner party, consider serving it with:
- Cucumber salad
- Biang Biang Noodles (Yu Po Mian)
- Chinese Sauteed Potato (Cumin Chili Home Fries)
- Air Fryer Corn on the Cob
- Wood Ear Mushroom Salad (凉拌木耳)
If you’re serving roast lamb shank for a Western holiday such as Christmas, it goes well with many traditional Chinese or western side dishes such as:
- Roasted potato
- Mashed potato
- Garlic green beans
- Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
- Egg fried rice
How many lamb shanks should I prepare?
The number of lamb shanks you prepare will depend on the style of your dinner party and the preferences of your guests.
For a Western style party where everyone gets a main dish and a side, consider preparing one lamb shank per guest. It would be the best if you can find lamb shanks on the smaller end (1.2 to 1.3 lb per shank) to avoid having leftovers.
If serving family style with other main dishes, consider preparing one lamb shank per two to three guests.
How to reheat lamb shanks
Roast lamb shank makes a great party dish because you can prepare it ahead of time and serve it later.
If not serving the lamb shank immediately, you can keep the pan covered with foil, and reheat the pan in a 325°F (162°C) oven for 15 minutes before serving. If not serving the lamb shank the same day you cook it, I recommend wrapping individual lamb shanks with foil once they have cooled, then further placing them in a large bag and refrigerating them until ready to serve.
Other delicious holiday main dishes
- Duck de Marietta (The Best Slow Roast Duck)
- The Best Cantonese Roast Chicken (广式烧鸡)
- Chinese Dry Rub Ribs
- Chinese BBQ Ribs
- Asian Pineapple Glazed Ham
- Chinese Brined Turkey (Extra Juicy and Crispy on All Sides)
Roast Lamb Shank (烤羊腿)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt , about 3/4 teaspoon salt per shank (*Footnote 1)
- 2 lamb shanks
- 2 tablespoons cumin powder
- 2 teaspoons Chinese chili flakes (*Footnote 2)
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground Sichuan peppercorns
- 2 thumbs ginger , large sliced
- 1 onion , sliced
- Oil spray
- Chopped cilantro for garnish (Optional)
Instructions
- Place the salt in a small bowl. Holding the lamb shank with your hand, using the other hand to sprinkle a generous amount of salt evenly over all surfaces of the lamb shanks.
- Mix the cumin powder, Chinese chili flakes, and Sichuan peppercorns in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixed species evenly over the lamb to cover all the surfaces, and use your hand to gently pat the spices onto the lamb.
- Place the lamb shanks in a large ziplock bag. Spread the ginger slices and onion evenly over the lamb. Squeeze out as much air as possible then seal the bag. Marinate in the fridge overnight, or a minimum of 3 hours before cooking.
- When you’re ready to cook, preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C).
- Remove the lamb from the bag and discard the ginger, reserving the onion on the side to cook with later (if desired, see footnote 3). Place the lamb shanks in a roasting pan. Spray olive oil over the lamb to prevent the spices from burning. Roast without covering the pan for 20 minutes.
- Transfer the lamb to your kitchen counter. Lower the oven to 325°F (162°C). Wearing a pair of oven mitts, carefully cover and seal the pan with foil or a pan lid. Return the pan to the oven once it’s dropped to 325°F (162°C). Roast for 2 hours. Do not open the foil during the process.
- Once done, transfer the pan onto your kitchen counter. Uncover the pan and sprinkle cilantro over the lamb, if using. You will have some drippings collected in the roasting pan. I like to reserve it and drizzle the sauce over the lamb. Serve hot as a main dish. You can also store the lamb covered with the foil and heat it up in a 325°F (162°C) oven for 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
- The lamb shanks I cooked were about 1.2 to 1.3 lb per shank. If your lamb shanks are bigger, you might consider using a bit more salt, about 1 teaspoon for shanks that are 1.5 lbs+.
- Chinese chili flakes are not very spicy and they add a great flavor to the lamb. If you plan to use spicier chili flakes, you can use 1/2 to 1 teaspoon chili flakes plus 1 teaspoon paprika to reduce the spice level.
- You can use some oil or butter to cook the onion on the stove to make caramelized onion. It goes great with the lamb. Or you can discard the onion if you don’t plan to cook with it.
