Lamb shanks are the king of all lamb cuts!! Slow cooked until meltingly tender in a rich, deeply flavoured red wine sauce, this recipe is worthy of fine dining restaurants yet is completely straightforward to make.
Just like the Port Braised Lamb Shanks and Massaman Lamb Shanks recipe, it takes patience for shanks to become fall apart tender, but it’s completely hands off time. Serve it over creamy mashed potato with a side of peas or sautéed spinach, with crusty bread to mop your bowl clean!
Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks
I have a real soft spot for slow cooked lamb shanks. I just love the look of a hunk of meltingly tender meat wrapped around the bone. Hits my carnivore sweet-spot, every time.
Honestly, if you put this and a towering frosted cake in front of me, this would win every day of the week and twice on Sunday:
Cooking lamb shanks is easy!
Being a tough cut of meat that needs slow cooking to make it fall-off-the-bone tender, lamb shanks are actually very forgiving so it’s a real easy cut to cook with.
You literally cannot overcook lamb shanks.Leave it in for an hour too long, and the meat is still succulent and juicy. The worst that will happen is that the meat falls off the bone when you go to serve it.
And if you pull it out too early and the meat isn’t fork tender, just add more liquid and keep cooking!
The only key tip I have is to brown that shank as well as you can. It is a hard shape to brown evenly, but do what you can. Browning is the key flavour base for any protein that’s slow cooked in a braising liquid, like Beef Stew, Pot Roast, Chicken Stew. If you ever see a slow cooked stew recipe that doesn’t call for browning the meat before slow cooking, proceed with caution!
I love slow cooking meat on the bone. Lamb Shanks, Beef Short Ribs and Osso Buco – better flavour more succulent!
What are lamb shanks?
If you’re new to lamb shanks, here’s a rundown: lamb shanks are from the lower leg of lambs, and they are an inexpensive, tough cut of meat.
Because of this, lamb shanks need to be slow cooked – either braised or roasted – to break down the tough meat to soften into succulent tenderness.
The meat itself is full of flavour which adds to the flavour of the sauce.
BONUS: The marrow in the bone melts into the sauce, deepening the flavour and richness. We love freebies around here!!
Classic Red Wine Sauce for Lamb Shanks
Red wine sauce is a classic braising liquid for lamb shanks, with the rich deep flavours a natural pairing with the strong flavour of lamb.
The red wine sauce is super simple to make but after hours of slow cooking, it transforms into an incredible rich, deeply flavoured sauce that’s silky and glossy, and looks totally posh-restauranty.
Just a quick note on the wine – I do not use expensive wines for slow cooking. I truly believe from the bottom of my heart that even the snobbiest of all food snobs would not be able to tell the difference if you made this with a discount end-of-bin $5 bottle or a $50 bottle. (And the New York Times agrees….)
Maybe you could tell the difference using a $100 bottle. But that’s not within my budget….
Non alcoholic sub for wine?
The wine is a key flavour for the broth in this recipe. However, if you cannot consume alcohol, substitute the wine with the following: 1.5 cups beef broth LOW SODIUM + 1 cup water. + 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce. Beef has a stronger deeper flavour than chicken so will be more suited to being the sub for wine.
This is one of those recipes that truly is terrific to make in the oven, stove, slow cooker or pressure cooker, as long as its started on the stove to brown the shanks and saute the onion etc. Right now, being winter here in Sydney, I choose the oven so it keeps my house nice and warm! – Nagi x
Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
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Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks with Red Wine Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 lamb shanks , around 13 oz / 400g each (Note 1)
- 1 tsp each salt and pepper
- 2 - 3 tbsp olive oil , separated
- 1 cup onion , finely diced (brown, yellow or white)
- 3 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 cup carrot , finely diced (Note 2)
- 1 cup celery , finely diced (Note 2)
- 2 1/2 cups / 625 ml red wine , full bodied (good value wine, not expensive! Note 3)
- 28 oz / 800g can crushed tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cups / 500 ml chicken stock, low sodium (or water)
- 5 sprigs of thyme (preferably tied together), or 2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 dried bay leaves (or 4 fresh)
To Serve:
- Mashed potato, polenta or pureed cauliflower
- Fresh thyme leaves, optional garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F/180C.
- Pat the lamb shanks dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a heavy based pot over high heat. Sear the lamb shanks in 2 batches until brown all over, about 5 minutes.
- Remove lamb onto a plate and drain excess fat (if any) from the pot.
- Turn the heat down to medium low. Heat remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil in the same pot, if needed. Add the onion and garlic, cook for 2 minutes.
- Add carrot and celery. Cook for 5 minutes until onion is translucent and sweet.
- Add the red wine, chicken stock, crushed tomato, tomato paste, thyme and bay leaves. Stir to combine.
- Place the lamb shanks into the pot, squeezing them in to fit so they are mostly submerged. (Note 1)
- Turn stove up, bring to a simmer. Cover, then transfer to the oven for 2 hours (see notes for other cook methods).
- Remove from oven, remove lid, then return to the oven for another 30 minutes (so 2 1/2 hours in total). Check to ensure lamb meat is ultra tender (use 2 forks) - if not, cover and keep cooking. Ideal is tender meat but still just holding onto bone.
- Remove lamb onto plate and keep warm. Pick out and discard bay leaves and thyme.
- Strain the sauce into a bowl, pressing to extract all sauce out of the veggies (Note 5 for repurposing the veggies). Pour strained sauce back into pot. Bring to simmer over medium heat and reduce slightly to a syrupy consistency (see video) - I rarely need to. Taste then add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve the lamb shanks on mashed potato or cauliflower puree with plenty of sauce! Garnish with thyme leaves if desired.
Recipe Notes:
8. Nutrition per serving. This is conservative - it doesn't take into account fat trimmed from shanks or discarded fat. Also assumes all sauce is consumed which it probably won't be.
Nutrition Information:
Originally published August 2015, updated with new photos, video and a slightly refined recipe. Previously the base recipe said to blitz the sauce at the end. It looks much posher (ie fine dining style) and actually does taste nicer just to strain it because the sauce stays glossy – if you blitz, sauce becomes more matte and is not as smooth. 🙂
More slow cooked fall-apart meat
I’m a big fan of slow cooked meats!!
LIFE OF DOZER
And I stuck my tongue right back at him….
Another one of your recipes that is now one of our favourites! And so easy to do – just set and forget! Thanks 🙂
I made this for my New Year celebration and it was very delicious. Coz I had grandchildren over, I followed the non-alcohol method. Mashed potatoes worked out very well here. Thanks for the lovely recipe.
Each time I search for a recipe, I end up choosing yours and I never messed up with it. Definitely the tastiest, the easiest and best explained recipe. I will make this one tomorrow night and I am sure it will be delicious.
Hi, I’m going to try this for New Year’s Eve. We can’t go out but lamb shank and a good bottle of red will be amazing by the fire. BUT is it 180deg with or without a fan oven ? I have a fan oven so not sure if I need to lower the temperature and I could not see this anywhere
Hi! I need urgent help. I’d love to try this recipe tomorrow and thought I had everything . However, I couldn’t find the main ingredient : lamb Schanks. 🙁 I did find a Lamb Rack, do you think this will work well with your recipe ? Maybe less time in the oven ? Thanks !
Hi Dayan! Oh no, don’t do this with lamb rack, too expensive! Lamb rack is meant to be cooked until pink. Either use this recipe: https://www.recipetineats.com/rosemary-crumbed-rack-of-lamb/. But if you don’t have breadcrumbs, just do a simple garlic & herb version using this recipe https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/rack-of-lamb-with-garlic-and-herbs-1222178 N x
Hi Nagi… For slow cooker 8hrs? Im using Crockpot slow cooker and will cook for 6 persons. thanks
Hi Nagi! Looking at making this for Christmas Day with some of your yummy sides. If I double the recipe how long would you suggest in the oven? I may need to use 2 cast iron pots!
Hi Liz, it shouldn’t take the same time – just split the recipe over two pots and cook as per the instructions 🙂 N x
Have made this twice now in the last 2 weeks (had to special order the shanks the second time hence the delay). Delicious both times. Love all your notes and variations. Passed it onto my neighbour too. I have used other recipes from your site and loved them too!! Thanks for sharing so generously!! Happy holidays
So happy to have found this simple but fantastic recipe! I bought a couple of lamb shanks from my local butcher and roasted them for lunch today. They were incredibly tender and tasty, and the gravy had a wonderful gloss finish! Will be making again.
Making them again today, I can currently smell them slow-roasting in the oven.
Made this for dinner and it was so delish! “Best lamb shanks I’ve ever had” they said 🙂
I have made this recipe three times now. Every time it is a huge hit and comes out amazing! Presentation of this dish is stunning as well. Thank you!
Hi, i would need to make this for 10. So would have to.cook them in 2 batches the day before. what is the best way to store them (i only have one cast iron pot) and reheat the next day?
Hi Esther, I would cook in two batches then store in them in the pot. Reheat gently over the stove or in a warm oven 🙂 N x
I am definitely going to try this recipe. It is easy to understand and the additional information and substitution suggestions are really helpful. This is a recipe I can follow. Looking forward to trying this out.