Lamb Shanks Recipes

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. Serve it over creamy mashed potato with a side of peas or sautéed spinach, with crusty bread to mop your bowl clean!

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:

Lamb Shanks in Red Wine Sauce

Recipe video above. A classic way to prepare shanks, these are slow cooked in a deeply flavoured red wine sauce until they are meltingly tender. You can’t taste the red wine at the end, it completely transforms into a rich sauce. Make this in the oven, on your stove or even in a slow cooker – instructions provided for all!Note: This is my original lamb shanks recipe. There is also a red wine lamb shanks version in my cookbook which is a little more “fine-dining” style. See Note 7 for more information!

Prep: 20min

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 624 kcal, Carbohydrate 31 g, Protein 42 g, Fat 25 g, Saturated Fat 5 g, Cholesterol 117 mg, Sodium 1260 mg, Fiber 6 g, Sugar 16 g, unSaturated Fat 19 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 4 lamb shanks (, around 13 oz / 400g each (Note 1))
• 1 tsp EACH cooking/kosher salt and pepper
• 2 – 3 tbsp olive oil (, separated)
• 1 onion (, finely diced (brown, yellow or white))
• 3 garlic cloves (, minced)
• 1 cup carrot (, peeled, finely diced (Note 2))
• 1 cup celery (, finely diced (Note 2))
• 2 1/2 cups red wine ((full bodied (good value wine, not expensive! Note 3))
• 800 g / 28oz can crushed tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cups 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))
• Mashed potato (, polenta or pureed cauliflower)
• Fresh thyme leaves (, optional garnish)

Instruction:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F (all oven types – fan and standard).
2. Season shanks – Pat the lamb shanks dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Brown – Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large 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.
4. Sauté aromatics – Turn the heat down to medium low. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the same pot. Add the onion and garlic, cook for 2 minutes. Add carrot and celery. Cook for 5 minutes until onion is translucent and sweet.
5. Braising liquid – Add the red wine, chicken stock, crushed tomato, tomato paste, thyme and bay leaves. Stir to combine.
6. Add shanks – Place the lamb shanks into the pot, squeezing them in to fit so they are mostly submerged. (Note 1)
7. Oven 2 hours covered – Turn stove up, bring liquid to a simmer. Cover, then transfer to the oven for 2 hours (see notes for other cook methods).
8. Uncovered 30 minutes – 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 – if not, cover and keep cooking. Ideal is tender meat but still just holding onto bone.
9. Remove lamb onto plate and keep warm. Pick out and discard bay leaves and thyme.
10. Sauce – 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. If needed, bring to a 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.
11. Serve the lamb shanks on mashed potato or cauliflower puree with plenty of sauce! Garnish with thyme leaves if desired.

Braised Lamb Shanks

Smothered in a red wine sauce, this easy lamb shank recipe is the perfect hearty winter meal to reach for, or a delicious way to switch up your Easter dinner.

Prep: 15min

Total: 3h10min

Yield: 6 serving(s)

Nutrition Facts: calories 994 Calories, Fat 65 g, Saturated Fat 30 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 270 mg, Sodium 1566 mg, Carbohydrate 15 g, Fiber 4 g, Sugar 6 g, Protein 74 g

Ingredients:

• 4 large lamb shanks (or 6 small lamb shanks)
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 tbsp. butter, divided
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• 2 c. low-sodium beef broth
• 1 (15-oz.) can tomato sauce
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 1 c. red wine
• Mashed potatoes, for serving

Instruction:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Season lamb shanks with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add lamb and cook until golden all over, about 4 minutes per side. Work in batches as necessary. Remove lamb from pot and place on a plate.
2. In the pot, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add onion and carrots and cook until soft, 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute more, then add tomato paste and stir until vegetables are coated.
3. Pour in broth and tomato sauce, then return lamb shanks to pot. Add rosemary and bring to a boil. Cover and transfer to oven. Cook until lamb shanks are completely tender, 2 hours.
4. Remove lamb from pot and place on a cutting board. Tent with foil to keep warm. Discard rosemary.
5. Return pot to stove over medium heat. Add wine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer until thickened, 10 minutes. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons butter.
6. Serve lamb with mashed potatoes and spoon sauce on top.

Braised Lamb Shanks Recipe

Sink your teeth into this incredibly delicious, braised lamb shanks recipe that is slow cooked in an amazingly flavored broth.

Prep: 15min

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 511 kcal, Carbohydrate 26 g, Protein 48 g, Fat 14 g, Saturated Fat 3 g, Cholesterol 127 mg, Sodium 983 mg, Fiber 5 g, Sugar 10 g, unSaturated Fat 9 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 4 lamb shanks
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 peeled and medium diced yellow onion
• 2 peeled and medium diced carrots
• 2 medium diced ribs of celery
• 1 peeled and medium diced turnip
• 1 peeled and medium diced parsnip
• 4-5 garlic cloves
• 12-15 fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
• 1 small bunch of parsley
• 2 cups of red wine
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 48 ounces beef stock
• Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper

Instruction:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
2. Lamb: Season the lamb on all sides with salt and pepper.
3. Add the olive oil to a large pot, rondeau, or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and sear the lamb until golden brown on all 5 sides, which takes about 3-4 minutes per side. Once brown remove them from the pot and set aside.
4. Next, add the onions, carrots, celery, turnip, parsnip, and garlic into the pot and brown well, which takes about 10 minutes while stirring occasionally.
5. Deglaze with the red wine and cook until the amount of liquid is reduced by one half.
6. Add in the tomato paste and stir until combined and cook for a further 1 to 2 minutes.
7. Add in the stock followed up by adding in the parsley, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper, and mix until combined.
8. Next, add back in the lamb shanks, place a lid over the pot and cook in the oven at 350° for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
9. Remove the lamb from the pot and strain the vegetables. Cook the remaining liquid over high heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until it thickens up a touch more.
10. Serve the lamb shanks with optional risotto and pour some of the sauce over the top.

Braised Lamb Shanks Recipe – Tender Lamb Shanks

FAQ

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