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Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks

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5 from 3 votes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
Calories: 682kcal
Servings: 4 People
Metric - Imperial

Ingredients

  • 15 ml Olive Oil
  • 4 Lamb Shanks
  • 1 Brown (Yellow) Onion Chopped
  • 4 Garlic Cloves Crushed
  • 2 Carrots Chopped
  • 3 Small Potatoes Chopped
  • 1 rib Celery Chopped
  • 60 g Tomato Paste
  • 500 ml Dry Red Wine
  • 1 litre Chicken Stock
  • 7 g Fresh Thyme Picked & Chopped
  • 14 g Fennel Seeds
  • 19 g Cumin Seeds
  • 5 g Dried Oregano
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • 2 Rosemary Sprigs
  • Salt & Pepper To Taste
  • 200 g Snake or Green beans Trimmed
  • 30 ml Hot Water
  • 14 g Unsalted Butter

Method

  • Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
  • Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the lamb shanks and sear until golden all over, turning frequently. Transfer to a plate.
  • In the same pan, add the onion, garlic, carrots, potato and celery, and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the tomato paste, red wine, chicken stock, thyme, whole fennel seeds, whole cumin seeds, oregano, bay leaves and rosemary sprigs, then place the lamb shanks back in, including any juices that have accumulated on the plate. Mix well.
  • Bring to a boil, place on a lid, and transfer the pot to the oven. Braise for 3½ hours. Carefully remove from the oven.
  • Transfer the lamb shanks to a plate. Gently strain and scoop out the vegetables. Pour the sauce into a saucepan and leave the vegetables in the original pot to keep hot.
  • Place the saucepan on the stovetop over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 25 minutes or until well reduced and thick.
  • In the meantime, place a pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add the snake or green beans. Pour in the hot water and simmer until the beans start to soften and the water is nearly evaporated. Add the unsalted butter and seasoning to taste. Sauté for 1-2 minutes or until cooked through and buttery.
  • Serve the lamb shanks on top of the beans, serve with the lamb vegetables, and top with the lamb sauce reduction.
Chef's Tips
Sear the lamb shanks until properly golden all over before braising — this step builds a lot of the sauce's depth, so don't rush past it just to get to the oven.
Keep the lid on for the full braise time — this traps moisture and steam, which is what breaks down the connective tissue in the shanks until the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender.
Let the sauce reduce properly on the stovetop rather than serving it straight from the braise — this concentrates the flavour and gives you a glossy, spoonable sauce instead of a thin braising liquid.
Storage & Reheating
Will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat gently in a covered pot on the stovetop or in the oven at 160°C (320°F) until warmed through — the sauce may need a splash of stock or water to loosen it back up.
Serving 750gCalories 682kcalCarbohydrates 27.9gProtein 73.4gFat 22gSaturated Fat 6.9gPolyunsaturated Fat 2.19gMonounsaturated Fat 9.03gTrans Fat 0.4gCholesterol 202.3mgSodium 659.4mgPotassium 1863.3mgFiber 5.6gSugar 9gVitamin A 388.83IUVitamin C 16.82mgCalcium 196mgIron 10.5mg