Slow Cooker Lamb Shanks

A close up image of a slow cooker lamb shank on mashed potato

Braised slow cooker lamb shanks in a rich red wine sauce. The ultimate winter comfort food.

5 from 8 votes

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Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Slow Cooker Recipe

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 8

Total Time: 8 10

Servings: serves

Calories: 565kcal

Author: Lucy - Bake Play Smile

Cost: $30

Equipment

Slow cooker or crock pot
Frying pan

Ingredients

4 lamb shanks approximately 400g each
½ cup (70 g) plain flour
salt and pepper
3 tbs olive oil
4 tsp minced garlic or 4 garlic cloves, minced
1 brown onion diced
1 carrot large, diced
3 celery stalks diced
1 cup (250 ml) red wine
800 g can crushed tomatoes
3 tbs tomato paste
2 cups (500 ml) liquid chicken stock
3 sprigs rosemary
2 dried bay leaves

Instructions

Toss the lamb shanks in the flour and then shake off any excess. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat 2 tbs of olive oil in a large pot or pan over high heat. Add the lamb shanks and sear for 5 minutes, turning occasionally until brown on the outside.
Place the lamb shanks into the slow cooker and set aside.
Heat the remaining 1 tbs of olive oil in the pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, carrot and celery and cook for 5 minutes or until the onion has softened and is translucent.
Add the red wine, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken stock, rosemary and the bay leaves and heat to combine.
Pour over the lamb shanks in the slow cooker, trying to submerge them as much as possible.
Cook for 8 hours on LOW.
Serve the lamb shanks with the red wine sauce poured over the top with mashed potato and greens on the side (see notes regarding the sauce).

Notes

Recipe Notes and Tips

Red Wine - The alcohol cooks out, so this is perfectly safe and suitable for the whole family. It can be substituted for extra chicken stock if you prefer. It is recommended that you don't substitute the wine, as this gives it a much richer, robust flavour.

Flouring the lamb shanks - The seasoned flour combines with the sauce as the meat cooks and acts as a thickening agent during the cooking process. The other option would be to mix the flour with water into a slurry, stir it through and allow it cook into the sauce until it thickens. Coating the shanks before searing is simpler and more flavourful as well.

Searing the lamb shanks - This step in slow cooker recipes is often dismissed as a waste of time, but I highly recommend taking that extra few minutes so the meat not only has a lovely caramelised colour once cooked, but you get the maximum flavour as well.

Sauce - you can pour the sauce over the lamb shanks as is and it will be a thin sauce with chunks of vegetables throughout. Alternatively, you can purée the sauce in a Thermomix or blender until smooth and pour over the top (this is what I have done in the photos above). Or if you would like a silky thin sauce without any vegetables, simply strain the sauce and discard the vegetables.

Nutrition