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
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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….
Hi Nagi, great recipe! But one thing that isn’t clear is if you discard the vegetables at the end, or add them back in after the sauce has thickened.
Our lamb shanks and sauce were gorgeous! Served with mashed potatoes and peas.
Five Stars for sure! I made it almost exactly as the recipe…two hours 20 minutes was too long in the oven, though. Next time I’ll check the meat just before 2 hours. Served with mashed Yukon Gold, peas with onion & mint and bourbon barrel cab. .
Wow – your lamb shank in red wine is amazing!!!! Your recipes are always perfect – thank you 😊
Thanks 🙂
Hands down the best lamb shanks I have ever tasted, let alone cooked! I didn’t marinade for 24 hrs and I wouldn’t change a thing!!! Thanks Nagi. You knocked it out of the park once again!!
Has anyone been able to get a copy of older version of this recipe?
I put the original back and removed the cookbook version! 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi. I’m a fan and will try this recipe tomorrow. In step No.6 though… how much water do I need to add with the other liquids? Coz i only notice water for the thickening the sauce.
Oh sorry! I saw it! 1 cup 🤭
I made this tonight and it was mouth watering tender and full of flavour, I served it with sweet potato and white potato mash and minted peas..
Thanks Nagi for another great recipe xx
So delicious! I bought some big lamb shanks so I only used three. I marinated them an extra 6 hours and baked them in an 8 quart dutch oven. It took an extra hour for them to be nice and tender.
I am so pleased my husband bought me your new book for Christmas, not knowing I have been using your recipes for 2-3 years I think. I made the Malaysian Hokkien Mee, and it was truly so authentic. I have short listed 30 recipes already to try out. I love that nearly all ingredients are already in my pantry and third notes are so helpful. I also love the humour you add, thanks for sharing your knowledge.
I also printed off your previous recipe, and was about to ask Nagi a question about the change off ingredient and method. Old one has no 24hr marinating and has 800g tinned tomatoes. Its a winner every time.
In case anyone is after a copy of the old recipe: http://web.archive.org/web/20220901034541/https://salesdock.info/slow-cooked-lamb-shanks-in-red-wine-sauce/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
I put the original back and removed the cookbook version! 🙂 N x
Wow Nagi! Absolute rave reviews for taste and presentation. I served it on creamy polenta with carrots and wilted spinach and made the truly crunchy roast potatoes too 🤪 My first attempt at lamb shanks and I admit I was a bit intimidated by the steps and the triple reduction but OMG so worth the effort! Keep em comin! Truly restaurant worthy, amazing.
The lamb was super tender, the gravy was great! The lamb did have a slightly bitter flavor. For all who referenced the older version of the recipe (I used the current one) – here it is: https://web.archive.org/web/20200707102428/https://salesdock.info/slow-cooked-lamb-shanks-in-red-wine-sauce/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Great recipe. Thank you so much for making it so easy!
It would help to know number of servings per recipe. Does each person get a whole shank?
Hi Nagi,
I’m about to make this for the second time, it was so so delicious!!
What would you recommend serving as an appetizer with this meal?
Thanks, Monica
I have a 350-400kg shank, how long will this take to cook in a slow cooker or in the oven, please. Your Recipe coked in the red wine looks amazing.
Wow. Well, doing some conversions; that would be about 800lbs and at 20 min/lb, that would take about 10 days to cook.
Normally, we would do something like that by digging a hole in the ground and creating a fire pit, burn down to the embers. A lot of work, but delish!
Sadly, we can’t do that here right now as the ground is frozen solid.
Enjoy, and Merry Christmas!
: )
Thank goodness I printed the old recipe before it was updated! I logged on today to make this and saw it has needlessly increased in complexity including a new step to marinade for 24hrs(?)
It was absolutely perfect before, so simple and quick to prepare that a novice like myself could manage a shank meal better than any restaurant. Is it possible to be sent a digital copy of the old recipe? It was an instant classic in our house-thank goodness I have a stained and ratty printout still on my noticeboard! XD
Hi Andrew. Also been making this recipe for a while and saw now that it changed. Tried following it by memory but didnt work out…lol. Is there anyway you can send me the original measurements of all the ingredients required. I only need that as i remember all the steps etc. i would really appreciate it. Thanks
I put the original back and removed the cookbook version! 🙂 N x
I just logged on top make this again having lived it the first time before the recipe was updated. Could it be updated to include the steps without the marinade and reduction? eWas the quantity of red wine less without the reduction?
Please may I have the old recipe!!
I put the original back and removed the cookbook version! 🙂 N x
I would love the old recipe too!!!
Ditto! Although, this one is also decadent! But I do prefer easy. Also, can I substitute white for red? My husband and son don’t care for red wine sauce.
I put the original back and removed the cookbook version! 🙂 N x
any chance of sharing the old receipe?
I put the original back and removed the cookbook version! 🙂 N x
Any chance you could send me a copy of the old recipe?
I put the original back and removed the cookbook version! 🙂 N x
I can’t count how many times I’ve made this dreamy recipe. This time I didn’t strain the sauce and there’s always lots left over. So I froze it, then used it with ground lamb for a shepherd’s pie, outstanding! It’s like a gift that keeps on giving. Thank you Nagi, you rock girlfriend!