These delicious slow cooker lamb shanks are fall-apart tender with a rich red wine sauce.
Lamb shanks are the perfect cut of lamb for long, slow cooking - you can turn a cheaper, relatively tough cut of meat into lamb that is so soft that the meat falls away from the bone and you won't even need a knife!
These slow cooker lamb shanks are a great choice for dinner guests because it's a set-and-forget kind of recipe, and the finished dish is restaurant-quality because those lamb shanks have been slowly simmering away for hours getting lovely and tender.
Table of Contents
Why you will love this recipe
- Richly flavoured and meltingly tender lamb.
- Minimal prep time for an outstanding result.
What you need to make this recipe
*Please see the recipe card below for exact quantities and detailed instructions
- lamb shanks
- olive oil
- onion
- carrot
- fresh garlic
- tomato paste
- fresh thyme
- dry red wine
- beef stock
- cooking salt
- black pepper
- cornflour (cornstarch)
*Please see the recipe card below for exact quantities and detailed instructions
How to make this recipe
- Sprinkle the shanks with salt and pepper.
- Brown the shanks well, then add them to the slow cooker.
- Saute the onion and carrot.
- Add garlic and tomato paste.
- Add red wine and thyme, then simmer to reduce slightly.
- Pour this braising liquid on top of the shanks in the slow cooker then add the beef stock.
Top tips for the best result
- Lamb shanks can vary in size, you need to make sure they will fit in your slow cooker. Here in Australia lamb shanks are quite often sold with the centre bone cut in half, this will make them easier to fit.
- Browning the lamb shanks really well before they go into the slow cooker is important - this is where the taste and flavour come from!
- No need to splurge on expensive red wine for this sauce, just go for a full-bodied dry red and steer away from lighter styles such as pinot noir.
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Oven directions
No slow cooker?
These slow cooked lamb shanks can be easily made in the oven - just proceed with the recipe as written but instead of adding everything into a slow cooker use a large dutch oven or casserole dish with a lid instead.
Bake for 3 hours at 150c or until shanks are tender - remove the shanks then pour the braising liquid into a saucepan and thicken as per the recipe into a sauce.
Serving suggestions
- My favourite way to serve this slow cooked lamb is on a bed of mashed potatoes, with plenty of the silky sauce spooned over the top!
- They also go well with sides like rice dishes, or cauliflower mash.
- Shred the meat from the bones, combine it with the sauce and toss through some pasta.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Suitable to freeze.
Frequently asked questions
Slow cooking.
Lamb shanks, lamb shoulder and lamb riblets.
Yes, but some recipes require it to develop the best flavour.
When prepared in a slow cooker, as long as the meaty end of the shank is mostly covered in liquid it's fine.
More lamb shank recipes
Massaman Curry Lamb Shanks - this curried lamb shank recipe is cooked low and slow in the oven in a rich coconut curry gravy until the meat is so tender it falls off the bone.
Moroccan Style Lamb Shanks - soft, fork tender lamb cooked with the delicious taste of Moroccan spices.
Braised Lamb with Couscous and Vegetables - slow braised lamb with bacon, fennel, couscous and herbs makes this recipe a wonderful one pot dinner.
📖 Recipe
Slow Cooker Lamb Shanks
Ingredients
- 4 lamb shanks approximately 400g each
- ½ teaspoon cooking salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh black pepper
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium brown onion chopped
- 2 medium carrots chopped
- 3 garlic cloves crushed
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 3 cups beef stock
- 2 tablespoon cornflour
- 1 tablespoon cold tap water
Watch me make this recipe
Instructions
- Pat the shanks dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper.½ teaspoon cooking salt½ teaspoon fresh black pepper
- Heat the olive oil in a frypan over medium-high heat, brown the shanks well all over, then remove to the slow cooker.2 tablespoon olive oil4 lamb shanks
- Add the onion and carrot to the pan and saute over medium-low heat until starting to soften.1 medium brown onion2 medium carrots
- Add crushed garlic and tomato paste, stirring to cook for 30 seconds.3 garlic cloves2 tablespoons tomato paste
- Then add red wine and thyme and simmer to reduce slightly.1 cup dry red wine2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- Pour this braising liquid into the slow cooker with the shanks, add the beef stock and stir a little to combine.3 cups beef stock
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 7 - 8 hours.
- Remove the shanks from the slow cooker and cover to keep warm.
Making the sauce
- In a small bowl, combine cornflour with cold tap water and mix into a slurry then set aside.2 tablespoon cornflour1 tablespoon cold tap water
- Pour the braising liquid into a saucepan and bring to a simmer on the stove, then whisk in cornflour slurry and simmer until thickened.
Notes
- The rich flavour in this recipe comes from browning the lamb shanks really well before they go into the slow cooker. Don't skip that step!
- You don't need expensive red wine, any full-bodied dry red is fine.
- To make in the oven proceed with the recipe as written, at Step 6 put the shanks into a large dutch oven/casserole dish (with a lid) and bake at 150c for 3 hours then proceed again with the recipe instructions for Making the sauce.
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Will be making these again, didn’t have enough beef stock so used some Vegemite, also added some dried rosemary to it. So delicious!
Great improvising with the Vegemite, Andrea - it's not just for breakfast haha And rosemary + lamb = yum! Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Wow! These were so tender and tasted so good! Made them for a dinner party and everyone was seriously impressed. Thanks.
My pleasure, Cindy!