My slow-cooked lamb shanks recipe is a comforting dish to serve up during the colder months. Pair it with some polenta and a glass of red and call it a night in.
What's better than slow cooking some meat on the bone and mopping up all the juices with some crusty bread?
Nothing!
I love embracing the cooler weather with a hearty dish.
I also love lamb, and when I saw these beauties on sale, I couldn't resist.
🥘 Ingredients
For the slow-cooked lamb shanks:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 lamb shanks (approx. 1.5 kgs)
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, sliced 1 cm thick
- 1 stalk of celery, sliced 1 cm thick
- ¼ cup flour
- 500 ml beef stock (can substitute chicken stock)
- 250 ml red wine
- 400 g can chopped tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 1 tsp fresh oregano, finely chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- salt and pepper to season
For the polenta:
- 500 ml of milk
- 500 ml of water
- 1 cup instant polenta
- 50 grams of butter
- ½ a cup grated Parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
To garnish:
- 1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
- zest of 1 lemon
🔪 Instructions
For the lamb shanks:
- Clean the lamb shanks by trimming any excess fat. Wash and pat dry with a paper towel. Preheat your oven to 160 deg C (not fan-forced).
- Heat the olive oil in a safe oven pot and sear the lamb shanks until well browned all over. Transfer them to a plate and keep them covered with foil.
- In the same pot add the onions, garlic, carrots and celery. Sauté the aromatics for 2-3 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the seared shanks back to the pot and sprinkle over the flour. Toss again, to ensure the flour is distributed evenly and cook for a few minutes.
- Add the stock, wine, tomatoes, tomato paste, herbs and seasoning. Stir well and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover and transfer to your preheated oven and cook for 2- 2 ½ hours until the meat is tender and falling off the bone.
- Serve with soft polenta and garnished with a little chopped parsley and lemon zest.
You can also prepare this lamb shanks recipe using the good old' stovetop.
For the polenta:
- Place the milk and water in a medium pot heat and allow it to come to a boil.
- Stir in the polenta and stir very quickly with a wooden spoon. It will thicken almost instantly. (Look for the consistency of mashed potatoes).
- Take off the heat and stir in the butter and cheese. Add salt to taste and heaps of cracked black pepper.
This method of making polenta uses instant polenta. Unlike the traditional polenta, you don't have to spend hours stirring over a hot stove.
Purists may shun it - but I think it's genius!
I like to top my slow-cooked lamb shanks with a gremolata. Although this does not contain any garlic, it helps to cut down the overall richness of the dish.
The lemon provides a lovely, light, fresh flavour.
👪 Serving size
Lamb shanks can vary in size. The larger they are, the longer they will take to cook.
My recipe generously feeds four people. Paired with the soft polenta and green of your choice, it's a filling meal.
📖 Variations
Treat this as a template, and you can add your spin on it.
Sometimes I add in a chopped chilli. Other times I might use white wine or chicken stock instead.
The flavours might be slightly different, but the result is good for your belly!
🥗 Side dishes
If you're not in a polenta mood then try some of my other amazing sides to enjoy with your slow cooked lamb shanks.
Ditch the potatoes and try my parsnip mash with olive oil
Add some gorgeous greens like my Rainbow Chard with olive oil
📋 Recipe
Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks
Ingredients
For the slow-cooked lamb shanks:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 lamb shanks, approx. 1.5 kgs
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, sliced 1 cm thick
- 1 stalk of celery, sliced 1 cm thick
- ¼ cup flour
- 500 ml beef stock, can substitute chicken stock
- 250 ml red wine
- 400 g can chopped tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 1 tsp oregano, fresh, finely chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- salt and pepper to season
For the polenta:
- 500 ml milk
- 500 ml water
- 1 cup polenta, instant
- 50 g butter
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- salt and pepper to taste
To garnish:
- 1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
- zest of 1 lemon
Instructions
For the lamb shanks:
- Clean the lamb shanks by trimming any excess fat. Wash and pat dry with a paper towel. Preheat your oven to 160 deg C (not fan-forced).
- Heat the olive oil in a safe oven pot and sear the lamb shanks until well browned all over. Transfer them to a plate and keep them covered with foil.
- In the same pot add the onions, garlic, carrots and celery. Sauté the aromatics for 2-3 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the seared shanks back to the pot and sprinkle over the flour. Toss again, to ensure the flour is distributed evenly and cook for a few minutes.
- Add the stock, wine, tomatoes, tomato paste, herbs and seasoning. Stir well and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover and transfer to your preheated oven and cook for 2- 2 ½ hours until the meat is tender and falling off the bone.
- Serve with soft polenta and garnished with a little chopped parsley and lemon zest.
- You can also prepare this lamb shanks recipe using the good old' stovetop.
For the polenta:
- Place the milk and water in a medium pot heat and allow it to come to a boil.
- Stir in the polenta and stir very quickly with a wooden spoon. It will thicken almost instantly. Look for the consistency of mashed potatoes.
- Take off the heat and stir in the butter and cheese. Add salt to taste and heaps of cracked black pepper.
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