Slow Braised Lamb Shanks for All Seasons (with Sauce and Vegetables)

These slow braised lamb shanks are perfect for any occasion, and certainly at Easter. Meltingly tender meat falling off the bone is accompanied with a ready-made sauce and vegetables, all cooked in the same pot.

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

Slow Braised Lamb Shanks
Slow Braised Lamb Shanks on mash

Easy Lamb Shanks

When I go out to eat, braised lamb shanks are one of my fail safe dishes, if there’s nothing else on the menu I fancy. Slow cooked lamb shanks, with juicy, tender meat falling off the bone, are just so, so satisfying!

This is an easy recipe that doesn’t require much thinking or hands on time. It’s pretty fluid in what vegetables and herbs you use, as well as the type of wine. There is a small amount of liquid left in the pan after cooking, so you don’t need to make any separate jus or gravy to go with it.

Braised Lamb Shanks Recipe

The whole recipe is done on the stovetop, but you can also use your slow cooker, if you prefer. To braise, simply means to cook on a low heat for a long period, after an initial browning of the meat.

This is what we’ll be doing:

  1. Brown the lamb shanks in a Dutch oven.
  2. Add the aromatics and vegetables in 2 short steps.
  3. Add the flour and wine (if using) and reduce for 5 minutes.
  4. Add tomato paste, mustard and stock.
  5. Add the lamb shanks back and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

That’s it.

Slow Braised Lamb Shanks
when done, the meat should just fall off the bone

What is a Lamb Shank?

Lamb shanks are taken from the lower part of the back legs. They are a tough cut of meat and require a long cooking time to achieve the best flavour and bite.

The shanks are full of collagen, which breaks down when slow cooked, resulting in that tender, met-in-the-mouth texture that I absolutely adore. This makes lamb shanks the perfect cut for stews, curries and even tagines.

Each lamb shank feeds 1 person quite comfortably, even 2, if it’s large. I cook them a lot, despite being the only non vegetarian at home. They always appear at Easter, Eid and Christmas on my festive table.

You’ll enjoy these 2 other lamb shanks recipes on LInsFood, a curry and a tagine.

Kashmiri Lamb Rogan Josh Recipe and Video (with Ratan Jot)
This is the real deal Kashmiri Lamb Rogan Josh, no tomato in sight! Find out how you too can make it at home the way it's made in Kashmir.
Get the Recipe!
Kashmiri Rogan Josh
Lamb Shank and Rhubarb Tagine
Lamb Shank and Rhubarb Tagine, an original recipe that draws inspiration from the Persian Khoresh Rivas, which is a rhubarb and meat stew. Perfect spring recipe!
Get the Recipe!
Lamb Shank and Rhubarb Tagine

Red or White Wine?

Either wine will do and to some extent, depends on the season. You have so many options here, and it doesn’t matter what you use. If you’re happy to drink it without spending lots of money on it, then that wine is perfect to cook with.

When I make this recipe in the warmer months, I make it with white wine, for a slightly lighter flavour all around. Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay, they’ll all work. A dry vermouth will be perfect too.

In the colder months, nothing beats a good bottle of dry red wine when cooking these lamb shanks. It can be full bodied like a Cabernet Sauvignon or medium bodied like a Merlot. Pinot Noir also works a treat. See, anything you like!

I am also only using half a cup for this, just enough for flavour but not too much that it becomes the identifying character.

Easter time, one could go either way, as the temperatures are still cool enough for one to enjoy a robust jus from the slow braised lamb shanks, and mild enough for you to be thinking of summer.

Don’t drink alcohol?

Just leave it out of the recipe and go ahead with the stock.

Herbs and Vegetables in Our Lamb Shanks

Fresh rosemary is traditional, as are bay leaves in just about anything. So I tend to go with these. You can also add fresh thyme to the mix if you like, another traditional herb for meaty stews.

As far as the vegetables are concerned, I like to add some carrots and celery for 2 reasons:

  • there are some ready cooked vegetables to serve with the lamb, and I just love slow cooked carrots
  • the vegetables add flavour to the sauce

If you would like your carrots a little sturdier, add them about 1 hour after you add the lamb shanks back, in step 6.

Stock

I use chicken stock in most of my lamb dishes, finding lamb stock a little too strong on the nose. If you make your own stock, great, if not, use a good shop bought stockpot or cube. We tend to have frozen homemade stock at home, but there are always some stockpots handy for when we run out, and because they are also very convenient. These are the ones I use.

Whether you use chicken or lamb stock is completely up to you. One stockpot or stock cube is usually for 500ml (2 cups) of water. So for our 1 litre (4 cups) of stock here, we would need 2 of them.

How to Serve Slow Braised Lamb Shanks

You have some “ready made” vegetables in the sauce, in the form of the onions, carrots and celery. Chances are though, your celery and onions would have practically fallen apart and become part of the sauce, leaving you with just the carrots.

  • Depending on the time of year, brussels sprouts are always good, as is some braised red cabbage. A side salad if you love your salad would go well too.
  • As far as starch is concerned, I’m a big fan of mashed potatoes with this, but crushed potatoes and roast potatoes will also be great.
  • Sweet potatoes are also a really good bet here, especially when roasted or fried, with crispy edges.
  • If you don’t fancy too many carbs, then a cauliflower mash makes a fantastic accompaniment to our falling off the bone tender meat.
  • And you just cannot go wrong with rice or couscous, if that’s what you prefer.
  • As mentioned above, you don’t need any gravy or jus, as there will be plenty of red wine sauce in the saucepan.

That’s it, let’s get our aprons on!

If you like the recipe and article, drop me a comment and if you’re feeling like a star, that 5-star rating! Thank you!

And if you make the recipe, share it on any platform and tag me @azlinbloor, and hashtag it #linsfood

Lin xx

Slow Braised Lamb Shanks

Slow Braised Lamb Shanks for All Seasons

Slow Braised Lamb Shanks recipe – juicy, tender meat falling off the bone, with ready made sauce and vegetables in the pan.
Last Updated: June 2023.
4.95 from 34 votes
Print Pin Add to Collection
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: British
Keyword: easter, lamb
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 336kcal
Author: Azlin Bloor
Cost: £4.50 ($5.55) per serving

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp EV olive oil
  • 4 lamb shanks
  • 2 large onions quartered
  • 4 large cloves garlic peeled and left whole
  • 2 large carrots sliced in thick rings
  • 2 celery sticks sliced in 5cm (2″) lengths
  • 3 rosemary sprigs
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 Tbsp AP flour
  • 125 ml red wine (or white, depending on taste and season) skip if you don't do alcohol
  • 1 Tbsp sundried tomato paste
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 litre chicken stock (or lamb stock)

Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, and sear the lamb shanks on all sides (as much as possible) to brown. This will take about 5 minutes. When done, take the shanks out, and place them on a plate until later.
  • Lower the heat to medium and fry the onions for 1 minute.
  • Add the garlic, carrots, celery, rosemary and bay leaves and fry for another minute, stirring to coat everything with the lamb fat and flavour in the pan.
  • Add the flour, stir vigorously for a few seconds, then add the wine. Stir, and leave the wine to reduce for 5 minutes on the same heat.
  • Add the tomato paste, mustard and stock and stir to mix, scraping the bottom of the pot to get all the yummy brown bits sticking to it.
  • Add the lamb shanks back to the pot, stir, and coat the lamb shanks with the liquid in the pot. Bring back to a boil over high heat. Then reduce the heat to its lowest setting, cover with a tight fitting lid and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until the lamb shanks are fully cooked and the meat is practically falling off the bone. The time will depend on the size of your shanks, and, to a certain extent, its age.
  • Finish off with lots of freshly ground black pepper, check to make sure you don't need anymore salt (you shouldn't).
  • Place the fork-tender lamb shanks carefully and gently into a deep serving dish. You can either pour the braising liquid all over the shanks, or, serve the sauce/gravy in a separate dish with all the vegetables in the pot. That's what I prefer doing. Sprinkle some chopped fresh parsley all over.

Nutrition

Calories: 336kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 127mg | Sodium: 258mg | Potassium: 667mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 5241IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 4mg
Did you make this recipe?Mention @azlinbloor and tag #linsfood!
Made it? Upload your photosMention @azlinbloor and tag #linsfood!

Share this with someone who'll love it!

18 thoughts on “Slow Braised Lamb Shanks for All Seasons (with Sauce and Vegetables)”

  1. Sandie Lynch

    Thank you for this recipe. I am making it for dinner, 2 years after the above comments. I have them for dinner usually only once per year and didn’t care for last year’s recipe. Point of comment ahead of the actual preparation/cooking is that since your comments the Insta Pot is the rage and I like cooking in it. Have you tried it for shanks and how does that affect the cooking times? Thanks for your response.

    1. HI Sandie, I don’t use an Instant Pots, but I do know that you can cook practically anything in it. It would be a simple case of using the Sauté mode for browning and initial sauté of the aromatics. The cooking of the lamb shanks will take between 45 minutes to 1 hour, I would think, depending on the mode you’re using. I suggest having a quick look at a couple of Instant Pot recipes for lamb shanks and following the method you like best.
      I hope that helps, I know not quite what you were hoping for.

  2. Looks good – I am going to try it… but in step 1 you say “take the shanks out, and place them on a plate until later.”
    but I don’t see when they get put back in?
    Somewhere between step 2 and 5, but where please? thank you

    1. Hi Rick, apologies for that, and thanks for spotting it. Shanks go back in right at the end, just before covering and simmering. I’ve edited it, step 6.

    1. Yes, it is. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, depending on the size of the shanks. Mine are usually big, I cook them for 8. You could also do high for 4 hours.

  3. Wow…it is looking too delicious. Nice recipe azlin. Keep posting these kind of delicious recipes.. yummm

  4. Simply perfect, you’ve just sorted out my Easter Sunday menu for me! I love the crushed potatoes, and your Baileys tiramisu is just to die for! Thank you, Azlin!

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating