Tender Slow-Cooked Lamb Shanks (Print Page)

Succulent lamb shanks braised gently with tomato, herbs, and aromatic vegetables for deep flavor.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 4 lamb shanks (12–14 oz each), trimmed of excess fat

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 medium onions, finely chopped
03 - 3 carrots, peeled and diced
04 - 3 celery stalks, diced
05 - 4 garlic cloves, minced

→ Liquids

06 - 1 2/3 cups (14 fl oz) canned crushed tomatoes
07 - 1 cup (8 fl oz) beef or lamb stock
08 - 1/2 cup (4 fl oz) dry red wine
09 - 2 tbsp tomato paste

→ Herbs & Spices

10 - 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
11 - 3 sprigs fresh thyme
12 - 2 bay leaves
13 - 1 tsp dried oregano
14 - 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
15 - 1 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste

→ Oils & Others

16 - 2 tbsp olive oil

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 320°F or set slow cooker to low heat.
02 - Generously season lamb shanks with salt and black pepper.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear lamb shanks on all sides until richly browned, approximately 8 minutes. Remove and set aside.
04 - In the same pot, add chopped onions, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
05 - Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Pour in red wine and scrape bottom of pot to loosen browned bits. Simmer for 2 minutes to reduce slightly.
06 - Add crushed tomatoes, stock, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, and oregano. Stir to combine evenly.
07 - Nestle lamb shanks back into the sauce. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer.
08 - Cover pot tightly. Transfer to oven and cook for 2.5 to 3 hours or place in slow cooker on low for 7 to 8 hours, until lamb is tender and falling off the bone.
09 - Remove lamb shanks and keep warm under foil. Skim excess fat from sauce and simmer uncovered on stovetop for 10 to 15 minutes to thicken, if preferred.
10 - Plate lamb shanks and spoon sauce over top. Garnish with fresh herbs if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The meat becomes so impossibly tender it falls from the bone with just a fork, no knife required.
  • The sauce deepens and darkens as it cooks, tasting richer than anything that took just an hour on the stove.
  • You can make it ahead and actually improve it by a day or two, which means stress-free entertaining.
02 -
  • Do not skip the browning step, even though it adds time—the Maillard reaction creates flavors that can't happen any other way.
  • If your sauce looks too thin after cooking, resist adding cornstarch or flour; just simmer it down without the lid until it reaches the consistency you want.
  • Bay leaves are essential but must be removed before serving because biting into one tastes like you're eating a leaf, which you are.
03 -
  • Warm your stock before adding it to the pot—it speeds up the cooking time slightly and prevents temperature drops that slow the braising process.
  • Let the lamb rest for 5 minutes after removing it from the oven; this keeps the meat moist and stops it from falling apart into the sauce.

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