Perfect Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks
This is a showstopping lamb shank recipe that delivers restaurant-quality results with simple, everyday ingredients and techniques. The lamb is gently slow-cooked with vegetables, red wine, and aromatic spices like cumin and fennel seeds, creating an incredibly tender dish with an incredibly flavourful sauce. Perfect for special occasions or a comforting weekend dinner, these lamb shanks serve 2 to 6 people depending on appetite. The slow cooker does all the work, transforming tough cuts into melt-in-your-mouth perfection. Once you've made this, it'll become one of your go-to dinner party showstoppers
Watch: Perfect Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks
Original recipe video — click to play
Original method: Approximately 2.5 to 3 hours in a covered pot at 180°C
Ingredients
Main
- 4 pieces Lamb shanks, patted dry
Approximately 300–350g each; browning first is recommended for depth of flavour
- 40 ml Olive oil
Aromatics & Vegetables
- 1 whole Brown onion, roughly chopped
- 2 whole Carrots, roughly chopped
- 1 whole Celery rib, roughly chopped
- 3 whole Kestrel potatoes, roughly chopped
- 4 whole Garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 60 g Concentrated tomato paste
Liquid
- 500 ml Red wine
A budget-friendly red wine is perfectly suitable
- 650 ml Chicken stock
Reduced from 1 litre to account for slow cooker's minimal evaporation
Spices & Seasonings
- 19 g Whole cumin seeds
- 14 g Whole fennel seeds
- 2 whole Bay leaves
Fresh or dried
- 2 whole Rosemary sprigs
Add in the final 30 minutes of cooking to preserve the delicate herbal flavour
Fresh or dried; fresh is preferred for maximum flavour
- 5 g Sea salt
To taste; adjust as needed
- 2 g Freshly ground black pepper
To taste; adjust as needed
Method
- 1
Pat the lamb shanks dry with kitchen paper. Season generously with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper on all sides.
~5 mins - 2Optional step
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan over a medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, carefully add the lamb shanks and brown them on all sides until deeply caramelised, approximately 10–12 minutes total. Turn occasionally to ensure even browning. Transfer the browned shanks to your slow cooker.
~12 minsTip: This browning step is optional but highly recommended, as it develops a deep, savoury crust that adds incredible flavour to the finished dish
- 3
In the same frying pan, reduce heat to medium. Add the roughly chopped onion, carrots, celery, and potatoes. Sauté for 3–4 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften slightly.
~4 mins - 4
Add the crushed garlic cloves and cook for a further 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
~1 min - 5
Stir in the concentrated tomato paste and mix well, coating all the vegetables. Cook for 1–2 minutes to caramelise slightly.
~2 mins - 6
Pour in the red wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan (this is called deglazing). Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer for 1 minute.
~2 minsTip: Deglazing captures all the caramelised flavour from the pan
- 7
Transfer the vegetable and wine mixture to your slow cooker with the lamb shanks. Pour in the chicken stock.
~3 mins - 8
Add the whole cumin seeds, whole fennel seeds, and bay leaves. Stir well to combine all ingredients. The lamb shanks should be mostly submerged or just covered by liquid.
~2 mins - 9
Cover the slow cooker and cook on Low for 8 hours, or on High for 5 hours. The meat should be extremely tender and easily pull away from the bone when fully cooked.
~8 hrsTip: If cooking on High, check at the 4-hour mark; if cooking on Low, cooking time may vary slightly depending on your slow cooker model
- 10
In the final 30 minutes of cooking, add the fresh rosemary sprigs (or dried, if using). Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with additional sea salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed.
~30 minsTip: Adding the rosemary at the end preserves its delicate herbal flavour
- 11
Remove the bay leaves and rosemary sprigs (if using sprigs) before serving. Ladle the lamb shanks into shallow bowls, making sure each portion gets vegetables and plenty of the rich, flavourful sauce.
~5 minsTip: If you prefer a thicker sauce, you may strain out the solids, transfer the liquid to a saucepan, and reduce it over medium-high heat for 5–10 minutes before serving
Nutrition
Detailed nutritional information is coming soon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, browning is optional. However, it's highly recommended because it creates a deeply caramelised crust that adds incredible savoury depth to the finished dish. If you're short on time, you can skip this step, but the flavour will be noticeably less rich. If you do skip browning, still sauté the vegetables and tomato paste in the slow cooker's base (using a frying pan first) for maximum flavour
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