How Long Slow Cook Lamb Shanks

Slow braised lamb shanks in a delicious, rich red wine sauce is the kind of showstopping comfort food cravings are made of. Perfect for a cozy dinner in and a great alternative for roast lamb at Easter.

Slow-braised lamb shanks

Ingredients

Full recipe with amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Lamb shanks.
Onions.
Carrots.
Celery.
Garlic.
Rosemary.
Bay leaf.
Tomato paste.
Red wine. Shiraz or Cabernet Sauvignon, something full-bodied.
Stock. Lamb/beef.
Salt and pepper.

How to make slow braised lamb shanks

Sear the lamb shanks: Heat a large, oven-proof deep pan/pot over medium-high heat and sear the lamb until well-browned on all sides. In the same pot, saute the onions, carrot, celery, garlic and herbs until soft and fragrant. I like to let the vegetables cook until they are starting to brown to develop as much flavor as possible. Add the wine and stock then cover with a lid.
Braise: Place the pan in a preheated oven. Allow to braise for 2-3 hours until the lamb shanks are tender and the gravy has reduced. Serve with mashed potatoes, rice or polenta.

Slow-braised lamb shanks

When are lamb shanks done?

Lamb is safe to eat at 62ºC/145ºF. It will be cooked to medium-rare at that temperature. As lamb shanks are a cut of meat filled with connective tissue, it needs low, slow cooking to break all of that down. Therefore, the temperature of lamb shanks is less important. You will know they are cooked when the meat comes away from the bone easily.

Can I cook lamb shanks in a slow cooker?

Yes, you definitely can. I would still brown them in a pan/skillet before adding to the slow cooker with the remaining ingredients. Cook on low for 8-10 hours, depending on the size of the lamb shanks.

What to serve with braised lamb shanks

Cheesy mashed potatoes
Maple butter mashed sweet potatoes
Garlic parmesan mashed potatoes
Soft polenta
Steamed rice or pilaf

Slow-braised lamb shanks

Lamb recipes

Easy sticky lamb ribs
Slow roasted Greek lamb
Lamb ragu with cauliflower gnocchi
Irish lamb stew
Easy lemon-garlic lamb chops

Slow-braised lamb shanks

2 tbsp olive oil
4 lamb shanks
1 large onion finely chopped
2 large carrots peeled and finely chopped
2 celery ribs/sticks finely chopped
4 garlic cloves thinly sliced
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp tomato paste
1½ cups red wine
2 cups lamb/beef stock
salt and pepper to taste

Pre-heat the oven to 160ºC/320ºF.
Season the lamb shanks generously with salt and pepper. Brown the lamb shanks in a large, deep oven-proof pot/pan until well-browned on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.
In the same pan, fry the onion, carrot, celery and garlic until soft and fragrant. Add the herbs and tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds before adding the red wine and stock. Allow to come to a simmer then add the lamb shanks back into the sauce.
Cover with a lid and place in the oven. Allow to braise slowly for 2-3 hours until the lamb is soft and succulent. Check on the lamb shanks half-way through cooking and add more stock if necessary.
Remove from the oven and serve.