Crock Pot Lamb Shanks With Red Wine

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 12/26/21
Lamb Shanks With Red Wine
Lamb Shanks With Red Wine Photo of Lamb Shanks With Red Wine © Diana Rattray
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 8 hrs
Total: 8 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
467 Calories
20g Fat
18g Carbs
21g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 467
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20g 26%
Saturated Fat 7g 34%
Cholesterol 64mg 21%
Sodium 424mg 18%
Total Carbohydrate 18g 6%
Dietary Fiber 3g 10%
Protein 21g
Calcium 107mg 8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Lamb shanks are a tough but delicious cut of meat that's taken from the lower part of the animal's leg. Given the modest amount of fat with respect to other cuts of lamb, shanks are best when slow-cooked as the long cook and low temperature allow the muscle tissue to break down, making it succulent and tender. Our recipe for lamb shanks in red wine is a great and easy recipe to make the most out of this budget-friendly cut of meat. A mixture of onions, fresh herbs, carrots, celery, and seasonings gets a bold infusion from red wine to make a cooking liquid in which the shanks will tenderize to fall-off-the-bone perfection. Serve this cut with mashed potatoes and a salad for a delicious dinner, easy to make during the week, but also special enough for a weekend gathering. You'll need to plan ahead, as the shanks might take from 7 to 10 hours depending on the slow cook setting you choose.

Lamb shanks can be part of other tasty preparations once cooked. Use this slow-cooked meat to stuff sandwiches, wraps, or tacos, or add it to soups and stews. Because the shanks come with the bone, the high amount of collagen that melts when cooking the shanks aids in making a delicious and thick sauce. You usually buy a shank per person, and each one weighs about half a pound to a pound. Our recipe makes four servings, which is a generous meal considering you'd likely offer side dishes. If you can, choose shanks that are closer to a pound in weight than half a pound to offer a satisfying meal.

Consider using Syrah, Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, or Tempranillo wine for the recipe. Use a wine that you'd enjoy by the glass, as there is no amount of cooking that can hide a bad quality wine. The better the wine, the better the sauce.

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Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons  olive oil, or canola oil
  • 4 lamb shanks
  • 1 dash Salt, or to taste
  • 1 dash 1 pepper, freshly ground
  • 1 large sweet onion, sliced
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 2 celery ribs, diced
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 3 cups dry red wine
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • 2 to 3 sprigs fresh thyme

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Heat oil in a large skillet or saute pan. Add the lamb shanks, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and brown on all sides, about 6 to 8 minutes total.

  3. Transfer the lamb to a slow cooker insert. Add onion, carrots, and celery to the skillet and cook, stirring, until onion is just tender.

  4. Add the vegetable mixture to the slow cooker, along with the garlic, wine, and chicken stock. Add the herb sprigs, cover, and cook on HIGH for 1 hour.

  5. Turn heat to low and cook for about 7 to 9 hours longer, or until lamb shanks are very tender. Or, cook on high for about 5 to 6 hours.

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