Unbelievably tender braised Lamb Shanks are easier to make than you think! The oven does most of the work for you in this simple Dutch oven recipe.
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The ultimate fool-proof lamb recipe.
Until I made Rack of Lamb and Lamb Chops last year, I was always intimidated to cook lamb. There’s nothing inherently difficult about it, but I think it was just the unfamiliarity—I cook chicken a few times a week, but lamb is rarely on the menu. What helped me was thinking of lamb like beef. Most of the same rules apply!
In this case, the rule is: tough cuts of meat require low and slow cooking. Lamb shanks are from the leg, and they’re full of connective tissues that need to be broken down to keep the meat from being tough. The upside is that all of this connective tissue means lamb shanks are virtually impossible to overcook.
With that long cooking time, these lamb shanks end up fall-off-the-bone tender, absolutely succulent, and supremely flavorful. This is the kind of recipe you make on a Sunday afternoon when it’s cold and snowing and you just want to hunker down with a hearty dinner. (Can you tell I live in the Upper Midwest!?)
Key Ingredients
You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.
- Lamb Shanks. Look for firm, bright red lamb shanks with a nice amount of marbling. They should all be roughly the same size so they finish cooking at the same time.
- Aromatic Vegetables. As with so many of our favorite long-cooking, saucy dishes (hello, Beef Stew!), yellow onions, carrots, celery, and garlic form the backbone of flavor for this lamb shank recipe.
- Seasonings. Lamb is popular in Mediterranean cuisine, so I add ground cumin, dried oregano, fennel seed, and bay leaves as a nod to that.
- Dry White Wine. I use Sauvignon Blanc. If you prefer to skip the alcohol, simply use extra broth.
- Crushed Tomatoes. These have more texture than tomato sauce, but they’re more broken down than diced tomatoes.
- Reduced-Sodium Beef Broth. Use a high-quality broth for the best flavor. Bouillon cubes and canned broth tend to be one-note.
How to Make Lamb Shanks
Prepare. Position your oven racks so they can accommodate a large Dutch oven with the lid on (I take my top rack out). Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and bring the lamb to room temperature while you do this. (Room temperature meat creates more even cooking.)
Sear the Lamb. Season the lamb with salt and pepper. Two at a time, cook the lamb shanks in a tablespoon of oil in the Dutch oven. Sear them on all sides, then transfer to a plate.
Cook the Aromatics. Drizzle another tablespoon of oil in the pot and reduce the heat to medium. Cook the onions, carrots, and celery until softened, then stir in the garlic and seasonings (except the bay leaves).
Deglaze the Pan. Once the garlic is fragrant, pour in the wine. Use a wooden spoon or wooden spatula to scrape the browned-on bits from the bottom of the pan. (This incorporates into the sauce and makes it delicious.)
Bring to a Simmer. Stir in the bay leaves, tomatoes, broth, salt, and pepper, then nestle the lamb shanks in the sauce. Bring to a simmer, then cover.
Braise the Lamb Shanks. Cook for 2 hours, turning halfway through the cooking time. Then, uncover the pot and cook for 30 minutes more, or until the lamb is practically falling apart.
Cook Down the Sauce. Transfer the lamb to a serving platter. Discard the bay leaves and pour the cooking liquid through a strainer. You can discard the solids, then pour the sauce into the pot and reduce it, if desired. Serve with the lamb shanks, garnish with parsley, and ENJOY!
What to Serve with Lamb Shanks
So many comfort food classics pair well with braised lamb shanks—basically, anything that will absorb that delectable sauce! Here are some ideas:
- Risotto. Both Farro Risotto and this Instant Pot Risotto would work well.
- Mashed Potatoes. Make these Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes for a quick and easy option, or try my favorite Garlic Mashed Potatoes Recipe.
- Polenta. This Creamy Polenta is dreamy with fall-apart-tender lamb.
Lamb Shanks
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Ingredients
- 4 lamb shanks 1 to 1 ½ pounds each
- 4 teaspoons kosher salt divided
- 2 teaspoons ground black pepper divided
- 2 tablespoons canola oil or similar neutral cooking oil divided, plus additional as needed
- 2 medium yellow onions chopped (about 3 cups)
- 4 medium carrots scrubbed and ½-inch diced (about 2 cups)
- 2 stalks celery diced (about 1 ½ cups)
- 6 large garlic cloves chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon fennel seed optional
- 1 ½ cups dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can reduced-sodium beef broth
- 2 bay leaves
- Chopped fresh parsley optional for serving
- Mashed potatoes, pasta, or risotto for serving
Instructions
- Position the oven racks such that you can fit a large, covered Dutch oven inside it (make sure it is at least 5.5 quarts, which will be a tight fit). Preheat to 325°F. Bring the lamb shanks to room temperature. Season all over with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.
- In a large Dutch oven or similar large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the canola oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add two of the lamb shanks. Brown on all sides, turning them every few minutes, until they are seared all over—this process will take about 8 minutes or so. Remove to a plate. Repeat with the following shanks (you shouldn’t need more oil at this point, but if you do, go ahead and drizzle some in if the pot seems dry).
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the now empty pot and reduce the heat to medium. Add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook until the vegetables begin to soften, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add the garlic, cumin, oregano, and fennel seed (if using), and cook for about 30 seconds, until the garlic is fragrant.
- Pour in the wine, stirring to scrape up the stuck on bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, bay leaves, broth, and remaining 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.
- Return the lamb shanks to the pot, nestling them into the liquid (the pot will likely be VERY full). Increase the heat and bring to a gentle simmer. Once the sauce is bubbling, cover the pot, then carefully transfer it to the oven.
- Let the lamb shanks braise for 2 hours, uncovering and using tongs to carefully turn them once halfway through.
- Uncover and continue baking for 30 minutes more. The lamb should be super tender and barely hanging onto the bone; if it’s not, continue cooking uncovered longer as needed.
- Remove the lamb to a serving plate and cover to keep warm. Fish out and discard the bay leaves.
- Carefully strain the cooking liquid into a large bowl, pressing the veggies against the strainer to extract as many juices as possible. Discard the veggies; they’ve done their job!
- Return the sauce to the pot and simmer a few minutes to thicken it further if desired. Serve the lamb shanks over the mashed potatoes, with the sauce spooned over the top and a sprinkle of parsley as desired.
Notes
- TO STORE: Transfer leftover lamb shanks to an airtight container with the sauce. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- TO REHEAT: Warm leftover lamb shanks with the sauce in an oven-safe skillet or covered in a baking dish. Reheat in the oven at 350ºF until it’s warmed through. The stovetop will also work, but you may need to add a splash of broth.
- TO FREEZE: Transfer leftovers to a freezer bag and press out the excess air, or place the lamb shanks in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition
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Made this for dinner and it was delicious. I was a little worried that the flavour was going to be too rich with the required amount of wine called for in the recipe but it was perfect. It was very easy to put together. Thank you.
So happy this was a hit!!
I made this exactly as is, popped it in the oven, and went out. On our return, the house smelled amazing. Finished uncovered for 20 minutes & served with sweet potato mash & sautéed spinach. Thank you Erin, your recipes never cease to please.
Great to hear! Thank you Crystal!
OMG! The meat fell off the bone, and the sauce was… unbelievable. With the leftover sauce, and lamb I made a Ragu with some homemade marinara for another dinner with pasta! YUMMY!!
So glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Dahlia!
Any vegetarian recipes …. Love your lamb recipes. We are kind of a mixed household
Hi Fran! You’ll find all of our recipes that are vegetarian or can be easily made vegetarian here: https://www.wellplated.com/category/recipes-by-diet/vegetarian/ Hope this helps!