Slow Cooker Lamb Shanks are the ultimate comfort food: fall-apart tender meat in a rich sauce, all with just minutes of prep time! This easy recipe takes full advantage of the long cooking time to transform a tough cut of meat into a luxurious, melt-in-the-mouth dish. Let your slow cooker do the hard work while you sit back and enjoy the incredible aroma filling your kitchen!
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Effortless Restaurant Quality Meal
Cooking lamb shanks low and slow in a crock pot results in an effortlessly tender, melt-in-the-mouth dish that feels worthy of a special occasion like Easter or a dinner party.
The slow cooking process allows the meat to absorb all the deep flavours of the rich red wine sauce, creating a dish that tastes like it came from a high-end restaurant.
If you love indulgent, hands-off meals, try these other slow cooker recipes that are even better than dining out!
Ingredient Notes
Here's everything you'll need for these slow-cooked lamb shanks:
- lamb shanks: approx 400g each.
- oil: any neutral or olive oil will do.
- onion: brown, yellow or red.
- garlic cloves.
- carrot.
- flour: is optional, but helps thicken the sauce, so it takes less time after the lamb is cooked.
- red wine: no need to buy expensive wine, simply pick up a cheaper full-bodied red like Cabernet Sauvignon or Malbec.
- chicken, lamb or beef stock: we used chicken stock on this occasion, but you will get the most flavorful sauce with lamb stock.
- tomato paste: a.k.a. concentrated tomato puree.
- sprigs of rosemary: fresh rosemary may be replaced with a few sprigs of fresh thyme. If you don't have fresh herbs, add 1 teaspoon of dried herbs to the sauce.
- bay leaf.
- salt and black pepper.
Find ingredient quantities, detailed instructions and nutritional information in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Step-By-Step Method
1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season lamb shanks with salt and pepper.
2. Brown the lamb shanks on all sides in a hot pan, then transfer them to a bowl of a slow cooker.
3. To the same pan, add the onions, carrot and garlic and saute over medium heat for 6-8 minutes, until starting to brown and soften.
4. Add the flour to the vegetables and stir to coat for 1 minute.
5. Then add the tomato paste, pour in the red wine, and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Add the bay leaf and rosemary sprigs. Stir for a minute, until just starting to thicken.
6. Pour the wine mixture over the lamb shanks. Add the stock - your shanks should be just about submerged in liquid.
7. Cover the slow cooker with a lid. Set it on low for 8 hours.
8. Once cooked, carefully take the tender lamb shanks out of the slow cooker into a deep baking dish. They should be fork tender, falling off the bone. Cover it with foil to keep the meat warm.
9. Spoon any fat that settles on top of the gravy in the slow cooker and discard it. Strain the red wine gravy into a medium pan, discarding the herbs and vegetable solids. Reduce the sauce to the desired consistency and serve drizzled over the lamb shanks.
TIP: If you want to thicken the sauce quickly without reducing it too much, make a little cornstarch slurry by combining 1 teaspoon of cornflour and 2 tablespoon of water. Then add this slurry to your red wine gravy and stir until the sauce thickens over low-medium heat.
Serving Suggestions
Serve your lamb shanks with sides that soak up the delicious sauce-silky-smooth food mill mashed potatoes, smashed garlic potatoes, or creamy polenta are all a great option. If you're after a lower-carb alternative, cauliflower mash or celeriac puree makes a perfect pairing!
For a touch of greens, try garlic tenderstem broccoli, minted peas, or garlic roasted green beans.
Storage and Reheating
To store leftovers, place your slow cooked lamb shanks in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
For longer storage, freeze them with the braising liquid for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the oven, adding a splash of stock, water (or leftover sauce) to keep the meat tender.
More Lamb Recipes
If you loved this slow cooker lamb shank recipe, why not try more delicious lamb dishes that are just as comforting and full of flavour?
Slow Cooker Lamb Shanks With Red Wine Gravy
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 lamb shanks approx 400g each
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 1 small onion roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves roughly chopped
- 1 carrot peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 300 ml (1⅓ cups) full-bodied red wine
- 400 ml (1⅔ cups) chicken beef or lamb stock
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 sprigs of rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large frying pan. Season lamb shanks with salt and pepper.
- Brown the lamb shanks on all sides in a hot pan, then transfer them into a bowl of a slow cooker.
- To the same pan, add the onions, carrot and garlic and saute over medium heat for 6-8 minutes, until starting to brown and soften.
- Add the flour to the vegetables and stir to coat for 1 minute.
- Then add the tomato paste, pour in the red wine, and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Add the bay leaf and rosemary sprigs. Stir for a minute, until just starting to thicken.
- Pour the wine mixture over the lamb shanks. Add the stock - your shanks should be just about submerged in liquid.
- Cover the slow cooker with a lid. Set it on low for 8 hours.
- Once cooked, carefully take the lamb shanks out of the slow cooker into a deep dish, and cover it with foil to keep the meat warm.
- Spoon any fat that settles on top of the gravy in the slow cooker and discard it. Strain the red wine gravy into a medium pan, discarding the herbs and vegetable solids. Reduce the sauce to the desired consistency and serve drizzled over the lamb shanks.
Nutrition
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