Lamb Shanks

These braised lamb shanks are slow-cooked in the oven with red wine gravy. A delicious and simple recipe that needs only 20 minutes to prep and 2 hours to cook. Served over mashed potato and sides for a complete meal.

Table of Content

• Why make this recipe?
• Ingredients and substitutes
• Lamb shank recipe
• Tips for success
• More lamb recipes
• Frequently asked questions
• You may also like
• Printable Recipe
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Lamb shank is from the shin of the lamb and is a very flavorful piece of meat. It is a strong hard-working muscle, which means it takes longer to break down.

Therefore, if not cooked correctly, lamb shank can be a tough piece of meat. The best way to cook it would be slow and on low heat. Either on the stovetop, oven, or slow cooker. Another option is pressure cooking in an instant pot or pressure cooker. This recipe can be modified for all types of cooking methods and I will provide the details for you in the notes.

Why make this recipe?

• This is my own recipe that is much simpler and easier than those found online.
• And the best part is, that there are fewer ingredients and not much chopping and sautéing.
• Also, I don't load the dish with plenty of veggies or cans of crushed tomatoes. As a result, the flavor of the meat in the red wine gravy is hearty and wholesome.
• The prep time for this dish is just about 20 minutes and the oven does the rest of the cooking. It takes close to 2 hours for the meat to cook and become fork-tender.
• And this dish gets better over time, which means making it a day ahead is in your favor and perfect for entertaining.

Ingredients and substitutes

• Lamb shanks - Are inexpensive cuts of meat often left behind from the leg of lamb. Having said that, you can also use beef shanks or lamb stew meat for this recipe.
• Veggies - Onion, carrots, celery, and garlic make the perfect aromatics for this dish. They cook down during the cooking resulting in a thick gravy.
• Tomato paste - Concentrated tomato flavor with no fiber. It makes for a more potent gravy, perfect over mashed potatoes.
• Chicken broth - If you don't have broth, use 1 tablespoon of chicken bullion with 2 cups of water.
• Balsamic - It's Italian vinegar that adds a distinct flavor and color. You can also add 2 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.
• Red wine - Similar to my beef bourguignon, I like to use a merlot, pinot noir, or chianti. Most importantly, use wine that you like to drink, no cooking wines or wine that you would not drink.

Lamb shank recipe

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• Preheat the oven at 325°F / 165°C / Gas Mark 3.
• Thaw the shanks for at least an hour before you plan to cook. Place them on clean paper hand towels and pat them dry.
  Pro tip - The shanks must be dry. Otherwise, they will stew instead of sear. Time permitting, I like to leave to thaw them uncovered in the fridge overnight so that excess moisture can dry out.
• Then, generously season the shanks on all sides with salt, pepper, paprika, and coriander powder.
  Pro tip - You can tie each shank with kitchen twine to hold the meat to the bone so they do not fall apart during cooking. I did not do this today as you can see in the video.

Sear

• Use a large oven-safe pan such as a Dutch oven, that will accommodate all the shanks. Add one tablespoon oil.
  Pro tip - Alternatively you can sear the meat in batches as I have done in the video.
• Sear the shanks on each side for at least 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside. There is no need to add more oil for the next batch.
  Pro tip - Keep the heat on medium to high and do not turn the shanks for the first two minutes. This will ensure good caramelization.

• In the same pan, add the remaining oil and saute the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic.
  Pro tip - Don't make haste. Keep the heat to medium and let the onions sweat and the veggies to get some caramelization. This will add so much flavor to the dish.
• Next, add the flour and combine well. Followed by the balsamic vinegar, tomato paste, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, cinnamon, and oregano. Sauté for another minute.
• Then, add the red wine and return the shanks to the pan. Bring to a boil and let simmer for two minutes on medium to high.
  Pro tip - We want to boil the red wine for just two minutes to cook out some of the alcohol.
• Next, add the broth and make sure all the shanks are well tucked under the liquid. Bring it to a boil again.
  Pro tip - Use tongs to transfer the meat and gently tuck them in the liquid. They must be almost submerged under the cooking liquid so they cook evenly.

Bake

• Cover the pan with aluminum foil and transfer to the oven on the middle rack. Cook covered for 1 ½ to 2 hours or until fork-tender.
  Pro tip - I am using aluminum foil. But, if you are using a dutch oven you can also cover it with its own lid.
• Garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

Tips for success

• Cook the lamb shanks only when completely thawed or it will cook unevenly
• A Dutch oven or heavy bottom pot works best for such slow-cooking dishes. Alternatively, you can transfer it to the slow cooker and cook for 6 to 8 hours on low.
• When searing the meat do not make haste to turn it over. If the meat resists movement it means it needs a minute more.  
• Do not skip on searing the meat as this will add a nice depth of flavor from the caramelization achieved.  
• If you have excess moisture in the finished dish - you can remove the meat from the pan. Then cook the sauce over medium-high heat until it is reduced significantly. This way the sauce gets thicker and you don't over-cook the meat.
• Cook on low and stir often making sure to add water if necessary to prevent the dish from burning on the bottom. Cooking on high for a long time will only result in tough, not fork-tender meat
• If you need to thicken the gravy further - combine 2 tablespoon cornstarch with ¼ cup water. Add this slurry to the pan and bring it to a boil until it thickens to the consistency you want. 

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