Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks in Red Wine Sauce
This classic dish of slow-cooked lamb shanks in red wine sauce is not only mouthwatering but also comforting and flavorful. An easy and delicious recipe your family and friends will love!
Ingredients
- 4 lamb shanks
- 2 cups of red wine - e.g., Cabernet Sauvignon or Shiraz
- 1 large onion - chopped
- 2 carrots - sliced
- 2 celery stalks - sliced
- 4 cloves garlic - minced
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 can crushed tomatoes
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2-3 bay leaves
- Fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste for added richness
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce for a hint of sweetness - optional
Instructions
Prep the Ingredients
- Prepare all ingredients beforehand to make the cooking process smoother. Chop the onions, carrots, and celery, and set aside.
Trim and Season The Shanks
- Wash and trim any excess fat from the lamb shanks to avoid a greasy sauce. Season them generously with salt and pepper to enhance the natural flavors.
Browning the Lamb Shanks
- In a large skillet, heat some oil over medium-high heat. Sear the lamb shanks on all sides until they develop a brown crust. This step adds depth to the flavor of the final dish.
- Transfer them to an oven-safe dish or Dutch oven.
Sauté Aromatics
- In the same skillet, sauté the onions and garlic for 2 minutes or until fragrant.
- Add carrots and celery. Cook for 5 minutes until onion is translucent and sweet.
Make Braising Liquid
- Pour in the red wine, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze it.
- Add beef broth, crushed tomatoes, and any herbs.
Transfer Lamb Shank To The Oven
- Pour the mixture over the lamb shanks in the oven-safe dish.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and then cover and bake for 2.5 hours with the lid covered.
- Remove the lid, return the lamb shanks, and cook for a further 30 minutes.
- Place lamb on a plate and keep warm. Pick out and discard bay leaves and thyme.
Sauce
- Strain the sauce into a bowl, pressing to extract all the sauce out of the veggies. Then reduce it by half on the stovetop before serving.
- Alternatively, you can use a cornstarch slurry if you don’t have enough time to reduce it on the stovetop.
- Adding a little butter at the end gives it a glossy finish.
Serve & enjoy
- Enjoy your shanks with cauliflower or potato mash. Garnish with parsley or thyme leaves as desired.
Notes
Sauce:
Thickening the sauce helps intensify the flavors.
If I have no time to reduce the sauce, I sometimes blitz it with all the vegetables using a stick blender or thermomix. Then strain the mixture using a fine strainer to remove any lumps.
Wine:
The wine’s flavor is essential to the sauce, so choose a good full-bodied red wine you’d enjoy drinking.
Lamb Shanks:
Don't skip the browning step, as it adds flavor.
Cook Time:
Be flexible with your cooking time to ensure that your shanks are nice and tender. Put them back in the oven for 3 hrs if they are not at the fall-off-the-bone stage after 2.5 hours.
Nutrition
Calories: 620kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 115mg | Sodium: 1255mg | Potassium: 1500mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 6100IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 130mg | Iron: 7mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed and personalised calculations.