Description
This Easy Lamb Shanks recipe offers a tender, flavorful meal perfect for slow cooking in an Instant Pot, Crock Pot, or oven. Seared and cooked with aromatic vegetables, tomato paste, and a blend of rich seasonings, these lamb shanks deliver a hearty, comforting dish ideal for dinner.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 3 pounds lamb shanks
- Magic Mushroom Powder or Diamond Crystal kosher salt, to taste
- 2 tablespoons ghee or extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 large onion, roughly chopped
- 2 medium carrots, roughly chopped
- 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
- 1/2 cup bone broth (Instant Pot), 2 cups bone broth (Oven method)
- 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
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup minced Italian parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Season the lamb shanks. Generously season the lamb shanks with Magic Mushroom Powder or Diamond Crystal kosher salt on all sides to enhance their flavor.
- Sear the lamb shanks. Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee or olive oil in the Instant Pot on sauté mode until hot. Sear the lamb shanks in batches until browned on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove and set aside. (Skipping searing is an option if short on time.)
- Sauté the vegetables. Add the remaining tablespoon of ghee or olive oil to the pot. Toss in the chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Season with Magic Mushroom Powder and cook until softened slightly, about 5 minutes.
- Add tomato paste and garlic. Stir the tomato paste and garlic cloves into the vegetables and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Combine all ingredients. Return the lamb shanks to the pot and add the bone broth, balsamic vinegar, fish sauce, and tomatoes. Tuck in the thyme or rosemary sprigs and bay leaves. Season with black pepper.
- Cook under pressure. Lock the Instant Pot lid and set to cook on high pressure for 45 minutes.
- Release pressure and finish. When cooking is complete, let pressure release naturally or wait 20 minutes before manually releasing. Remove the herbs from the sauce. Use an immersion blender to puree the vegetables, thickening the sauce. Adjust seasoning with Magic Mushroom Powder, salt, and pepper.
- Serve. Plate the lamb shanks, ladle the sauce over them, and sprinkle fresh Italian parsley on top if desired for a fresh finish.
Notes
- For Slow Cooker method: Follow the same searing steps in a skillet, then transfer the vegetables and lamb with liquids to a slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 5 to 6 hours.
- For Oven Braising: Preheat oven to 300°F. Use a Dutch oven to sear lamb and vegetables similarly, add 2 cups bone broth, then cover and braise in oven for 3 to 4 hours until meat is fork tender.
- If short on time, searing the lamb shanks is optional but adds depth of flavor.
- Use canned tomatoes if fresh Roma tomatoes are unavailable.
- Adjust seasoning gradually and taste before serving to suit personal preference.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 lamb shank with sauce
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 45 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg
