Braised Lamb Shanks Recipe
Published April 6, 2022. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Sink your teeth into this incredibly delicious, braised lamb shanks recipe that is slow-cooked in an amazingly flavored broth. I served these tasty shanks up with some of my creamy risotto and it is outstanding.
The goal of going to a restaurant is to get something that you usually would not or could not make at home. What if you made food in your kitchen that is just as good and, if not better, than what you got at your favorite spot? Interested; Then you should definitely check out my Chicken Piccata or Linguine with Clam Sauce.
Lamb Shanks
Lamb shanks are cut from the leg of the lamb and tend to be a more tough cut of meat. It is best slow-cooked for more extended periods of time to help break down the meat. It will become melt-in-your-mouth good as this is one of my all-time favorite dishes.
You can purchase lamb shanks from any butcher shop, and most grocery stores will carry them as well. They cost roughly 10-12 per pound, while 1 lamb shank weighs about 12 ounces, with about 3-4 ounces being the bone. One shank will quickly and entirely feed 1 person.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Lamb – Pick up some lamb shanks from your favorite butcher shop.
- Herbs – I like to use a combination of fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, rosemary, and thyme. You can, however, subtract or add to this list.
- Vegetables – You can use many different vegetables, but I prefer onions, carrots, celery, garlic, parsnips, and turnips.
- Wine – An excellent red wine like cabernet sauvignon, merlot, malbec, or shiraz will do well.
- Stock – You will need some good beef stock in this recipe.
- Oil – I like to use olive oil, but you can use any other neutral-flavored oil for this.
- Tomato Paste – This will thicken our braising liquid and, eventually, our sauce.
How to Make Braised Lamb Shanks
Use these step-by-step instructions for making this unbelievably delicious braised lamb shanks recipe:
Season the lamb shanks well on all sides with salt and pepper.
Sear the lamb shanks in a large rondeau or Dutch oven with olive oil over medium-high heat until well browned on all 4 sides.
Set the lamb to the side and add the prepared vegetables to the pot and continue to cook over medium-high heat until they are well browned, which takes about 10 minutes.
Deglaze with red wine and cook until the amount of liquid is reduced by ½.
Stir in some tomato paste until it is completely mixed in. This will help thicken it. If the high heat is concerning you at this point, turn it down to medium.
Pour in the beef stock and then add in the fresh herbs, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine.
Add the lamb shanks back into the pot, cover, and cook at 350° for 2 to 2 ½ hours or until the meat is gently removed from the bone.
Drain the sauce, discard the vegetables, and cook the sauce for 4-5 minutes or just until it’s thickened up like a thin gravy. It does not need to be thick to add flavor to the dish.
Serve the lamb shanks on top of some creamy parmesan risotto.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: This is meant to be eaten once it is finished cooking. However, keep it warm over very low simmering heat for 1 hour before serving.
How to Store: Cover and store the lamb in the sauce in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. You can cover it and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating.
How to Reheat: Add the desired number of lamb shanks to a rondeau or saucepot along with some of the sauce and cover and heat in the oven at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until hot.
chef notes + tips
- Feel free to add in a 15-ounce can of crushed tomatoes for more tomato flavor.
More Restaurant-Style Recipes
Video
Braised Lamb Shanks Recipe
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
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Lamb: Season the lamb on all sides with salt and pepper.
- 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.
- Next, add the onions, carrots, celery, turnip, parsnip, and garlic into the pot and brown well, which takes about 10 minutes while stirring occasionally.
- Deglaze with the red wine and cook until the amount of liquid is reduced by one half.
- Add in the tomato paste and stir until combined and cook for a further 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add in the stock followed up by adding in the parsley, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper, and mix until combined.
- 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.
- 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.
- Serve the lamb shanks with optional risotto and pour some of the sauce over the top.
Can’t wait to try this!
One question: why toss the veggies? (I saw this was asked a few times in the comments, but didn’t see any answer)
You could keep them, but they’re pretty mushy at this point.
I never write reviews on recipes but this was straight up one of the best dishes I’ve cooked. Easiness to impressiveness ratio is off the charts
Excellent! Thank you!
This was easy and amazing. Set the shank on some creamy mashed potatoes and paired with a side of maple glazed carrots. Just so good. My only question- what can and with the strained veggies? They are too good to just discard! Thanks for a great recipe and a newly converted lamb fan!
Amazing!
Simple and fabulous! One of the best braises I have made. Nice balance of ingredients. I amped up the garlic a little, but would have been fine otherwise. Great recipe. I’m a new fan, Chef!
Many thanks!
I would like to try this but wondering if there’s any substitute for the red & white wines.
You can skip them
Just made this tonight. Tender and flavorful. Served over riced cauliflower. Thanks for another great recipe.
Love it!
Question – Im wanting to make for Easter dinner but need 6 shanks total. The recipe calls for 4. Would you do all 6 in the same pot or make 2 separate?
If you can fit it.
I made this for dinner last night and it was delicious. A restaurant quality meal. Deglazing all of the bits of wonderfulness with red wine was the key! I used turnips, carrots and quartered a sweet potato and they were the side veggies. Served everything over rice. I used a can of peeled whole tomatoes n they melted into the gravy. The shanks are on sale this week, so off we go to purchase more. Thank you for providing good wholesome recipes that an average cook can follow! 🙂
Excellent recipe! Very easy to follow. I only had two shanks, but used the braising liquid for 4 shanks, so it would cover. Turned out great and I have extra gravy to freeze for another meal. Served with mashed potatoes. Thanks for an awesome meal!
my pleasure!
Followed nearly exactly. took 2 1/4 hrs. Thickened with beurre manie and served over Billy’s horseradish mashed.