Slow-Braised Lamb Shanks
Updated Feb. 27, 2025
- Total Time
- At least 2 hours
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
Advertisement
Ingredients
- 2lamb shanks, about 1 pound each
- 2tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and black pepper
- ½cup red or white wine or stock
- 1white or yellow onion, sliced (optional)
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
318 calories; 21 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 10 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 24 grams protein; 457 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered by
Opt out or contact us anytime. See our Privacy Policy.
Opt out or contact us anytime. See our Privacy Policy.
Preparation
- Step 1
In a large skillet, brown shanks well in oil; this will take as long as half an hour (you can cover the pan to avoid spattering). Sprinkle with salt and pepper as they cook.
- Step 2
Lower the heat, pour off the excess fat, add the wine or stock and onions, if using. Simmer over low heat for 1½ to 2 hours, covered, turning and adding water, about ¼ cup at a time, as necessary, until the meat is falling of the bone.
- Step 3
Cool. Take meat off the bone and reserve the liquid. When the liquid is cool, skim the fat and reserve the juice. Use meat and juice in the following recipes: Tomato Sauce With Lamb and Pasta; Indian Lamb Curry With Basmati Rice; Chinese Braised Lamb Shanks.
Private Notes
Comments
I also brown the shanks in a hot oven. They color nicely, and leave much of their fat behind in the pan. I tip from a long ago issue of Sunset Magazine.
I used a mix of red wine and vegetable broth for the liquid, rather than white wine/stock and water. I also cooked the lamb for a little over 2 hours, including about 1/2 hour browning time and turning every 20-30 minutes. I served it with roasted spaghetti squash and braised cabbage with the pan juices for sauce. Delicious!
Did this in a pressure cooker and liked the results. I upped the liquid to make sure there was enough to create sufficient steam. I used 1 cup stock and 1/2 cup white wine. Cooked for 45 minutes at high pressure with a natural pressure release. Meat was fall-off-the-bone tender and broth was quite flavorful.
One can cook lamb shanks without any additional liquid in a Dutch oven (as you US people call it) or a slow cooker: brown the shanks in olive oil, remove and add a large onion halved and sliced thin, when browned put the shanks back in, add sprigs of thyme or rosemary, some coarse salt and ground black pepper, cover and cook either on the lowest possible hob heat or the low setting on the slow cooker. Takes c 90 minutes, add potato chunks for last 30 and you have something very like kleftiko.
This slightly reminds me of a family recipe called "Lamb Shanks ala Martini." It involves a lot more onions and no browning. Simply slice (in rounds) several onions and place in bottom of a Dutch oven or large baking dish. Pour some dry vermouth over the onions. Place the shanks on top of the onions and then drizzle over the top a mixture of equal parts soy sauce and Worcester, plus some lemon juice and a generous amount of fresh ground pepper. Cook for 3-1/2 to 4 hours in a 350 degree oven.
Delicious and simple recipe. I did as Wendy did. We removed the shanks after browning, adding them to the instant pot, and sautéed a sliced yellow onion. We simmered 1/2 cup red wine and 3/4 cup broth down a bit, to get about a cup of liquid total. Added it to the pressure cooker, then cooked on high for 50 minutes. When the instant pot was done, we removed the shanks to a covered dish and turned the leftover liquid into a gravy by simmering with some flour until reduced. Served with risotto.
Advertisement