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!
* Here for the cookbook version? Find it here -> the elegant Restaurant Lamb Shanks in Red Wine Sauce.
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. So if you cannot consume alcohol, it is best to substitute with non-alcoholic red wine.
Please do not use more beef or chicken stock/broth, even if it’s low sodium. This sauce has amazing flavour in it because it is massively concentrated down (essentially into a jus). So if you use more stock then it will end up too salty.
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
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Lamb Shanks in Red Wine Sauce
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)
To Serve:
- Mashed potato , polenta or pureed cauliflower
- Fresh thyme leaves , optional garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F (all oven types – fan and standard).
- Season shanks – Pat the lamb shanks dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- 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.
- 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.
- Braising liquid – Add the red wine, chicken stock, crushed tomato, tomato paste, thyme and bay leaves. Stir to combine.
- Add shanks – Place the lamb shanks into the pot, squeezing them in to fit so they are mostly submerged. (Note 1)
- 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).
- 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.
- Remove lamb onto plate and keep warm. Pick out and discard bay leaves and thyme.
- 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 (Note 5 on sauce taste).
- Serve the lamb shanks on mashed potato or cauliflower puree with plenty of sauce! Garnish with thyme leaves if desired.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published August 2015, updated with new photos, video and a slightly refined recipe in 2018. 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. 🙂 Recipe then further improved when it was decided to include this lamb shanks in my debut cookbook Dinner – that “restaurant” version is exclusive to my cookbook!
Life of Dozer
And I stuck my tongue right back at him….
Dear Nagi. The entire house smells like lamb shank heaven 🙂 I rough chopped the veggies into 2″ pieces and quartered two onions with cloves punched in. I braised the shanks after sealing them with the veggies on the stove top then “bunged” it in the oven at 140 C for 3 hours. Wonderful. Melt in the mouth gorgeousness. :))
I have tried many of your recipes.
Easy to follow and always delicious.
Love your chatty website.
Thanks Nagi 🙌
This recipe was honestly outstanding! The lamb shanks were incredibly tender and practically fell apart with the fork. The flavour was rich, deep and absolutely delicious, with the sauce being the perfect combination of hearty and comforting.
I’m an ex executive chef I have worked in 5 star hotels and resorts in Australia and parts of Asia and London in my younger years.
I have not bought a cookbook for many years but I saw one of your cookbooks at a friends house and was very impressed I have one of your books and I love it as a former professional chef you have nailed it ! a great combination of dishes you have a classic approach and the way you utilise store produce and advice is great for cooking in a home kitchen so well done . I often look up recipes from you to get ideas ! The lamb shank recipe is now my go to in the winter months!
Thanks for reigniting the fire again in this (semi )old chef ! Cheers!
Hi Nagi, I made this two nights ago and yes! Everything was perfect. The lamb fell off the bone (I had to be careful positioning it atop the mashed potatoes) and all the diners, including me, were impressed visually and loved the flavour. The left over sauce and strained veges were creatively added to some rice for my student’s school lunches! All gone.
I first saw you on Masterchef Nagi, and have made quite a few of your recipes ( crisp corn fritters for instance yum) and now, if I want a recipe using something in my fridge or pantry, I search under Tin Eats first. There is always a great recipe from you there and I trust the recipe without question! I’m so glad I found you. You are such a cheerful bubbly personality, I wish I could meet you! (Not likely of course. I’m in NZ). All the best. Pam
I used my slow cooker from Step 7 on. 2 hours on Medium and 1.5 hours on low. They were almost ready to fall off the bone. After straining the sauce I had to heat it om medium to medium-high for almost 20 minutes to get the right consistency to go over mashed potatoes. I then let it sit for a few minutes and skimmed off most of the fat. This was the best of several lamb shank recipes I’ve made over the years.5 stars for sure!
This recipe should come with a warning! Your house will swell incredible from the moment it goes into the oven until you serve it. I was drooling all afternoon. Nagi, another winner 👏
Hi Jenna
The reason to drain the fat from the lamb shanks is that fat is saturated fat which is very unhealthy for your heart. The olive oil is a healthy fat.
I love this recipe! Have served it to family and friends who did not like lamb and now they love it. If I say I’m serving lamb there is no hesitation to come for dinner. Thanks so much Navi.
I cooked this in the slow cooker after browning the shanks off in a pan first.
It was delicious!
I cooked the lamb shanks in a slow cooker. It was brilliant. The flavours in the gravy were deep and intense and the colour was fantastic – exactly like in the picture. The family loved it. I halved the canned tomatoes.
OMG! This is a 5-star. The lamb fell off the bone, the sauce amazing. would not change a thing. Did not cook at the 350… my oven runs hot so I did it at 300. Perfect!!!
Hi Nagi,
Cooking this for dinner party (from your wonderful great book). How do you get your gravy so dark. Mine is a lot paler. I made my own stock,.
Much appreciated
Jenny
Wonderful dish. Best lamb shank recipe I’ve ever made.
Great recipe! Cooked in my slow cooker for 8 hours overnight, The lamb shanks smell, look and taste incredibly delicious! Thank you Nagi!
Huge fan of Lamb Shanks..In addition to the Trinity I added fennel and parsnips..What a fantastic dish…Thanks Nagi!
A superb meal! I cook it often, and usually add a handful of olives, and a few anchovies to add depth. I also replace mashed potatoes with scalloped ones for special occasions.
I’ve made this recipe a few times now. It’s definitely a great recipe though I’ve personally found that using less tomato in the dish makes for an even better result. For 4x lamb shanks I only use around 400g of tomato (chopped or puree’d)
Also a small tip: definitely cook it the day before and then when serving, place the lamb shanks covered in the oven for 30 minutes or so because they tend to go cold very quick. This is something that has happened to me countless times so very worth keeping them warm before serving.
The rest of the recipe I follow as per the guide.
I made this last night and it was amazing! We’re at 6700ft so we have to add time to braised recipes. I started this at 1pm and at 5 it was ready to have the lid taken off (I checked it at 4, not ready yet!) I substituted NA wine. It was SO good!
Made this in my pressure cooker today. I didn’t have red wine so I improvised and used white. It still turned out really amazing! My family LOVED it! 👍🏻👍🏻