Description
This Easy Lamb Shanks recipe offers a tender, flavorful main dish that can be prepared using an Instant Pot, Crockpot, or oven braising method. The lamb shanks are seasoned and seared before being slow-cooked with aromatic vegetables, tomatoes, herbs, and a savory broth to produce a rich, hearty sauce. Perfect for a comforting meal, this recipe includes detailed instructions for multiple cooking methods to suit your kitchen equipment and time availability.
Ingredients
Scale
Lamb and Seasoning
- 3 pounds lamb shanks
- Magic Mushroom Powder or Diamond Crystal kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Cooking Fats
- 2 tablespoons ghee or extra virgin olive oil, divided
Vegetables
- 1 large onion, roughly chopped
- 2 medium carrots, roughly chopped
- 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
Other Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ cup bone broth (plus 2 cups if oven braising)
- 1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Red Boat fish sauce
- 14 ounces canned diced tomatoes, drained or 1 pound Roma tomatoes, diced
- 3 fresh thyme sprigs or 1 fresh rosemary sprig
- 2 dried bay leaves
Garnish
- ¼ cup minced Italian parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Season the Lamb Shanks: Generously season the lamb shanks with Magic Mushroom Powder or Diamond Crystal kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to ensure savory depth.
- Sear the Lamb Shanks: Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee or extra virgin olive oil in your chosen cooking vessel (Instant Pot on sauté function, skillet, or Dutch oven) over medium-high heat. Sear lamb shanks in batches for about 8 to 10 minutes until browned on all sides. If short on time, this step can be skipped but adds significant flavor. Remove the browned shanks and set aside on a platter.
- Sauté the Vegetables: Add the remaining tablespoon of ghee or olive oil to the empty pot or skillet. Toss in chopped onions, carrots, and celery. Season lightly with Magic Mushroom Powder. Cook until the vegetables soften, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and smashed garlic cloves, cooking until fragrant to build a rich base.
- Add Liquid Ingredients and Herbs: Return the lamb shanks to the cooking vessel. Pour in bone broth (½ cup for Instant Pot/Crockpot, 2 cups for oven braising), aged balsamic vinegar, fish sauce, and drained diced tomatoes. Tuck in sprigs of fresh thyme or rosemary and bay leaves to infuse savory and herbal notes.
- Cook the Lamb Shanks: For Instant Pot: Lock the lid and set to cook on high pressure for 45 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally or manually after 20 minutes. For Crockpot: Transfer sautéed vegetables and lamb to slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 5 to 6 hours. For oven braising: Preheat oven to 300°F, bring contents to boil on stovetop, cover, then place in oven for 3 to 4 hours until meat is fork tender.
- Finish the Sauce: Remove the herbs from the sauce. Use an immersion blender directly in the pot to puree the vegetables and thicken the sauce to a rich consistency.
- Adjust Seasoning and Serve: Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with Magic Mushroom Powder, salt, and pepper as needed. Plate the lamb shanks, ladle the thickened sauce over them, and sprinkle with minced Italian parsley if desired for freshness and color.
Notes
- If using a slow cooker or crockpot, sear the lamb shanks and sauté vegetables in a skillet before transferring to the slow cooker for best flavor development.
- If short on time, searing the lamb shanks can be omitted, but it improves color and taste significantly.
- For oven braising, increase the bone broth quantity to 2 cups to ensure sufficient liquid during the longer cooking time.
- Using fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary is recommended for optimal flavor but dried bay leaves are essential in all methods.
- Adjust the cooking time based on the tenderness needed; lamb shanks become perfectly tender when the meat easily falls off the bone.
