Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks In a Red Wine Sauce

We had to show off this absolutely delectable looking recipe for lamb shanks in red wine sauce! Not only is it beautiful to look at but it is amazingly easy to prepare.

The red wine does not have to be the best wine on the market. As a matter of fact the creator of this recipe states a simple five dollar ($5) bottle of wine will work just fine. However, it is recommended to not use a Pinots. A darker red wine works best.

Oh, and for those of you who are leery, the wine does evaporate during slow cooking so there is not a trace of it by the time you serve – so make these lamb shanks for the entire family!

The recipe also includes a variety of vegetables and gentle spices, cooking in a crock pot or slow cooker, everything growing juicy and cooking to fall-off-the-bone deliciousness!

While this is a slow cooker recipe (aka – crockpot), it can also be prepared in a pressure cooker and on the top of the stove! Check out the ingredients and instructions below!

Ingredients To Gather:

4 lamb shanks, around 1 lb / 500g each (Note 1)

2 tsp salt, separated

Pepper

2 – 3 tbsp olive oil, separated

1 cup onion, finely diced (brown, yellow or white)

1 cup carrot, finely diced (optional) (Note 2)

1 cup celery, finely diced (optional) (Note 2)

3 garlic cloves, minced

2½ cups red wine, full bodied

28 oz / 800g can crushed tomatoes

2 tbsp tomato paste

2 cups chicken stock (or water)

5 sprigs of thyme (preferably tied together), or 2 tsp dried thyme

2 dried bay leaves or 4 fresh

Sauce To Simmer

½ to 1½ cups hot water

Directions To Follow:

1.Preheat the oven to 350F/180C.
2.Pat the lamb shanks dry and sprinkle with 1 tsp of salt and black pepper.
3.Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a heavy based pot (dutch oven is ideal) over high heat.
4.Sear the lamb shanks in 2 batches until brown all over, about 5 minutes.
5.Remove lamb onto a plate and drain excess fat (if any) from the pot.
6.Turn the heat down to medium low. Heat remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil in the same pot. Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Sauté for 10 minutes until the onion is translucent.
7.Add the red wine and turn up the heat to medium high. Bring it to a simmer, scraping the bottom of the pan to mix all the brown bits into the wine. Simmer for 3 minutes to evaporate the alcohol a bit
8.Add the remaining ingredients (including remaining 1 tsp salt and pepper) and stir to combine.
9.Place the lamb shanks into the pot, squeezing them in to fit so they are mostly submerged. (Note 1)
10.Bring back up to simmer, cover, then transfer to the oven for 2 hours.
11.Turn the lamb shanks, cover, then return to the oven for another 30 minutes (so 2½ hours in total). The lamb should be very tender, the exposed surface above the liquid should be browned and the sauce should be reduced down to about ¼ of the original amount.
12.Carefully transfer the lamb to a plate and pick out the thyme sprigs and bay leaves.
13.Skim excess fat off the surface of sauce. Use a stick blender to puree the sauce to make it smooth and thick. Use hot water to adjust the thickness and intensity of the sauce. (Note 5) Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
14.Serve the lamb shanks on mashed potato or cauliflower puree with plenty of sauce!

If you were to serve it to company they would think you pulled out all the stops!

This is a very rich dish, calories weighing in at about 753 calories per serving. However, it is a delicious “comfort food” and a gourmet delight to be sure!
For some great tips and tricks please go on over to Recipe In Eats. There are also some beautiful photos and helpful notes as well. Enjoy!