Slow-Braised Lamb Shanks
Tender Victorian lamb shanks slow-cooked in a rich red wine and rosemary gravy until meltingly tender and falling off the bone.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 150 min
- Total
- 170 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 680 kcal
Equipment
- •Dutch oven or heavy lidded casserole pot
- •Tongs
- •Wooden spoon
- •Chopping board
- •Chef's knife
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 680 kcal
- fat
- 42 g
- carbs
- 16 g
- fibre
- 3 g
- protein
- 52 g
- calories
- 680 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 160 degrees C (140 degrees C fan-forced).
- 2
Season the lamb shanks generously all over with salt and cracked black pepper.
- 3
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- 4
Brown the shanks in batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply caramelised, then set aside on a plate.
- 5
Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery to the pot and cook for 5 minutes until soft.
- 6
Stir in the garlic and plain flour, cooking for 1 minute until lightly toasted.
- 7
Add the tomato paste and red wine, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- 8
Pour in the stock, then return the lamb shanks and their resting juices to the pot.
- 9
Tuck the rosemary sprigs and bay leaves into the liquid around the shanks.
- 10
Cover with a tight-fitting lid and place in the preheated oven.
- 11
Bake for 2 to 2.5 hours until the meat is fork-tender and pulling away from the bone.
- 12
Skim any excess fat from the surface and discard the herb stems before serving.
Chef's tips
Browning the shanks thoroughly builds deep colour and flavour into the pan gravy. This dish tastes even better the next day after the rich flavours have had time to settle.
Ingredient substitutions
- dry red wine → extra beef stock with 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- plain flour → gluten-free plain flour or 1 tbsp cornflour mixed with cold water
Storage
Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating
Reheat slowly in a covered saucepan over low heat with a splash of water or stock until piping hot.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Skipping the browning step, which deprives the braising sauce of savoury depth.
- •Baking at too high a temperature, which toughens the lamb instead of slowly melting the collagen.
- •Leaving the pot uncovered, which causes the sauce to evaporate and dry out.
Serving suggestions
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