Slow Roasted Lamb Shanks in Red Wine Sauce
Slow-roasted lamb shanks in red wine sauce are the pinnacle of lamb dishes. With minimal hands-on preparation and ‘set and forget’ slow cooking, this fail-proof braised lamb shank recipe is perfect for special occasions such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter.
Lamb shanks, slow roasted to perfection
When I moved to New Zealand many years ago, slow cooked lamb shanks were the first lamb dish I tried and won me over. Tender, succulent meat, practically falling off the bone, in a rich red wine sauce – comfort food at its best! It’s one of the recipes I’ve cooked and tweaked many times over the years to get the flavors and textures on point and create that restaurant-worthy dish at home.
I’ve settled on this slow roasted lamb shanks recipe where they’re braised in a classic red wine sauce and packed with fresh garlic and herbs. Served on a bed of minted mashed peas and potatoes with plenty of silky and glossy red wine sauce, they’re sure to impress your guest while keeping effort levels low on your part.
For more slow-cooked lamb dishes, check out my braised Moroccan lamb shanks and pulled lamb shoulder as well.
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Slow Roasted Lamb Shanks in Red Wine Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 lamb shanks 12 oz (340g) each
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil heat-resistant
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 carrots sliced
- 1 celery stick sliced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 1/2 cups red wine
- 1 tsp dried thyme or 2 tsp of fresh thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried rosemary or 1 tsp of fresh rosemary
- 1/4 tsp red chili flakes
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 1/2 cups beef stock or lamb stock
- 14 oz diced tomatoes or crushed
- 1 tbsp cornflour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F (180C).
- Take the lamb shanks out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking them to bring them down to room temperature if possible. Remove excess fat and cut through the tendon that connects the meat to the bone at the bottom of the shank to allow the meat to bunch up during cooking. Season the shanks generously with salt and ground black pepper.4 lamb shanks, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- Heat the oil in a frying pan over high heat. Sear two lamb shanks at a time, turning them after 3 minutes which adds extra flavor to the dish. Repeat with the other two and set aside.1 tbsp vegetable oil
- Add another tablespoon of oil if needed followed by the diced onion, carrots, celery, and garlic to the same pan. Cook until softened for about 5 minutes.1 yellow onion, 2 carrots, 1 celery stick, 4 garlic cloves
- Deglaze the pan with the red wine, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom (that's where all the deep flavors are stored). Add the tomato paste, thyme, rosemary, chili flakes, bay leaf, lamb stock (or beef stock), and diced tomatoes. Bring it to a simmer to combine all flavors and heat the sauce through, about 5 minutes.2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 1/2 cups red wine, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1/2 tsp dried rosemary, 1/4 tsp red chili flakes, 1 dried bay leaf, 1 1/2 cups beef stock, 14 oz diced tomatoes
- Place the browned lamb shanks into a large Dutch oven or casserole dish (8×12 inches) and pour the sauce over them. They will be about half submerged. Cover the dish with a double layer of aluminum foil and slow roast the shanks for 2 hours. Turn the shanks over 1 hour into the slow roasting them.
- The lamb shanks are done when the meat is fork-tender and easily pulls away from the bone. Remove them carefully with a large spoon or tongs as they will be very tender. Cover with foil and set aside.
- Strain the sauce through a sieve into a large saucepan or pan (or keep the vegetables if you prefer a chunkier sauce but remove the bay leaf). Reduce the sauce by half on medium heat for 8-10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and ground black pepper.
- To thicken the sauce, make a slurry by combining the cornflour with 2 tbsp of the sauce. Add the slurry to the sauce slowly while stirring to avoid any lumps forming. Pour it through a sieve if any did form to create a super silky sauce.1 tbsp cornflour
- Serve the lamb shanks over creamy mashed potatoes and peas. Cover generously with the red wine sauce. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe tips
Trim excess fat: While some fat is great for flavor, trim away any large, excessive pieces to prevent a greasy final dish and overly gamey taste.
No meat thermometer needed: Great news, you can’t overcook lamb shanks. Simply cook them longer if the meat isn’t falling of the bone yet. Unlike my pink lamb leg roast recipe, you don’t need to keep an eye on cooking temperatures here.
Rest the meat: After cooking, let the shanks rest for 10-15 minutes before serving (make the sauce during that time). This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in more tender and flavorful meat.
Make ahead: Braised lamb shanks actually taste better the next day. You can make them ahead of time and reheat them gently before serving.
Ingredients and substitutions
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Lamb shanks – Remove the silver skin (the white membrane on the meat’s exterior) and any large areas of fat to reduce a strong gamey flavor. Trim the tendons to ensure the meat will bunch up nicely.
- Red wine – Pinot Noir or a Merlot blend work well for fragrant lamb dishes. If you prefer to cook without alcohol, use non-alcoholic red wine.
- Stock – I use my lamb stock for this recipe but you can substitute it with beef stock or chicken broth as well.
- Spices – I use dried rosemary and thyme for convenience but you can also opt for double the amount of fresh herbs if you have them on hand. A dried bay leaf adds extra depth and slight umami flavors. Red pepper flakes give the dish some heat but you can easily omit it or add more if you like it hotter.
- Vegetables – A classic mix of celery, carrots, onion, and garlic, aka mirepoix in French, creates the perfect base for braised shanks.
- Tomatoes РDiced tomatoes create a rich sauce. You can also use pur̩ed tomatoes (passata) or blend up whole skinned tomatoes.
How to slow roast lamb shanks
See the recipe card for full information on the method.
1. Seasoned lamb shanks well.
2. Sear lamb shanks in a hot pan on both sides.
3. Sauté the vegetables in leftover cooking juices.
4. Add wine and deglaze the pan. Add other liquids and flavorings.
5. Place seared shanks and sauce in a casserole dish. Cover and slow roast.
6. Remove the cooked lamb shanks and cover them.
7. Drain the sauce (optional).
8. Make the red wine sauce.
Slow cooker lamb shanks
To cook lamb shanks in a slow cooker, simply follow steps 2-6 of the instructions in the recipe card below but reduce the stock to 1 cup (instead of 1 1/2). Transfer everything to a large slow cooker. Set to low and cook for 8 hours until the lamb shanks are cooked and fall off the bone.