It always amazes me how dishes like these slow cooked Port Braised Lamb Shanks served up by fancy restaurants are actually made with a handful of everyday ingredients!
Along with the classic Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks in Red Wine Sauce, there’s nothing tricky about this recipe. Just patience to let them cook slowly. Budget ingredients to make posh restaurant food!
Port Braised Lamb Shanks
I think I’m a pretty relaxed cook but regular readers know I have a few gripes. One is pretty photos for recipes that taste blah. And the other is recipes that demand that expensive wine be used for cooking, otherwise, don’t bother.
I love my wine. And if I buy expensive wine, I want to drink it straight. Not simmered for 3 hours.
And I guarantee, if the poshest of restaurant critics did a taste test of these Port Braised Lamb Shanks with an expensive vs discount bottle of port, they would struggle to tell the difference! (And the New York Times agrees….)
I won’t deny that using a $50 vs $10 bottle of port makes a difference. But the difference is not worth $40, I promise you that. These Port Braised Lamb Shanks taste so expensive, you can tell your guests you used a vintage 1980’s port and they would believe you! 😉
Even with the simplest of ingredients, slow cooking does wonders and I truly believe this to be an epic example of such. It is the same with my Italian Beef Ragu and Irish Beef Stew.
And this Port Braised Lamb Shanks is right up there with them. Look at that sauce. Glistening, rich, full of flavour.
Cooking Lamb Shanks
Lamb Shanks is one of my favourite slow cooking cuts. Cooking meat on the bone is always the best way to slow cook meats, like with slow cooked Beef Short Ribs and Osso Bucco. The meat is juicier and I’m 100% convinced it’s more flavourful too!
Lamb shanks are a tough cut of meat that require slow cooking to turn them into molten goodness. The cheaper and tougher the cut, the more flavourful. And lamb shanks are no exception.
There is no need to provide a knife when you serve this. The meat is so soft, you just need a fork. Or spoon. 🙂
I made this in my dutch oven, but you can make it in a slow cooker or even in the oven and I’ve provided instructions for all in the recipe.
When I’m entertaining, slow cooked foods like this are my “go to” because they’re impressive and can be made ahead. They taste fantastic on the day, but even better the day after – and the day after!
I really love serving my Port Braised Lamb Shanks with creamy mashed potato. I’ve tried mashed cauliflower and polenta, but I just don’t think they are as good as the classic ole’ mash.
Who else is up for some slow cooked comfort this weekend??? – Nagi x
More slow cooked fall-apart meat
I’m a big fan of slow cooked meats!!
- Beef Stew and Irish Guinness Stew
- Fall-apart Beef Ribs in Red Wine Sauce
- Beef Pot Roast with Gravy
- Shredded Beef Ragu
- Lamb Shanks in Red Wine Sauce or Port Braised
- Slow Roasted Lamb Leg or Lamb Shoulder
- Osso Buco – traditional Italian slow cooked veal
- Browse the Winter Comfort Food collection!
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Port Braised Lamb Shanks
Ingredients
- 4 lamb shanks , approx 400g/13oz each (Note 1)
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil , separated
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 onion , finely chopped (white, brown, yellow)
- 1 celery stalk , finely chopped (optional, but recommended)
- 1 carrot , finely chopped (optional, but recommended)
- 3 tbsp / 1/4 cup flour (35g)
- 2 cups / 500 ml beef broth (liquid beef stock) (or sub with chicken broth)
- 3 cups / 750 ml port (Note 2)
- 1 1/2 cups / 375ml red wine , or more beef broth (Note 3)
- 3 tbsp / 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 5 sprigs thyme or 2 tsp dried thyme
- 3 dried bay leaves (or 5 fresh)
- 4 stalks fresh parsley (optional)
To Serve
- Fresh parsley , finely chopped
Instructions
- Season lamb with salt and pepper.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a dutch oven or large heavy based pot over high heat. Add 2 lamb shanks and cook, turning, until browned (see photo). Remove then repeat with remaining lamb.
- Turn heat down to medium. Add remaining 1 tbsp oil, garlic, onion, carrot and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until onion is softened.
- Add flour. Mix into onion mixture.
- Add remaining ingredients. Mix – lumps are ok, they will dissolve while cooking.
- Add lamb back in – the meat should be mostly submerged. Bring to simmer, then turn heat down to medium low and cover with lid.
- Simmer for 2 hours (Note 4) then remove lid and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Remove lamb into a bowl.
- Optional: Strain sauce in dutch oven into a bowl. Use spoon to press into onion etc to squeeze out all the flavourful liquid. Pour sauce into dutch oven. (Note 5)
- Skim excess fat off sauce.
- Increase heat to medium high and reduce liquid by half or until it thickens to a syrup consistency.
- Return lamb shanks and juices pooled in the bowl into sauce to reheat, then serve with creamy mashed potato, garnished with parsley.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
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LIFE OF DOZER
Beach-wet-Dozer eyeing off the lamb shanks, thinking Christmas came early….
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Made this twice so far. Excellent!! Now I have to replace my stock of port from Trader Joe.
Oooh! So glad you love this so much Pamela!! N xx
This looks fantastic! Did you trim the shanks before cooking them?
Hi Emily! Nope I didn’t, they came trimmed 🙂 You don’t need to trim them, the fat melts out N x
This is a nice recipe and commentary. I am a chef and often just “cross check” my recipe with other things on line. I also like the commentary about types of port, gluten free, etc… Shows real knowledge, experience and practicality in the kitchen. My one difference is that I prefer to use the tomato paste after the braising so I can better control the thickness of the sauce and the amt of paste. I remove the meet, strain, and determine if i want to use much/any paste or go with either a bit of cream, tomato or a cornstarch finish (my least favorite, personally). All depends on how it looks and sometimes what I have on hand. Anyway, nice job!
OK, can I just say how COOL it is to have input from a real chef? ? Thanks so much Rick, that’s a great tip to add the tomato paste at the end. Just wondering – do you think it affects the flavour at all because the tomato paste isn’t cooked in the sauce for very long? Out of curiosity, what restaurant do you work at? I’d love to know!! N x
HI Nagi,
I plan on making this for Thanksgiving dinner but I wasn’t able to get lamb shanks. I did however order a leg of lamb and was just going to cube the meat and cook it according to these ingredients. I don’t want to ruin an expensive leg of lamb so I was just wondering if it will taste as good as the shanks? Thanks!
Hi Julie, I’m sorry to say that I don’t recommend lamb leg for this because it is leaner than shanks. I have a couple of lamb leg recipes on my site though – a Greek slow cooked one and a classic one!
Hi, Nagi!
Thank you for sharing this recipe! The lamb shanks are sitting in the crock pot as I’m typing this, and the aroma is absolutely divine so far! I can’t wait to actually taste them to see how they turned out!
I also love how thorough your directions are! I just wanted to express my appreciation for your diligent notes!
Oooh, I hope you enjoy it Kait! And I’m glad you find my notes helpful, thank you for your lovely message. 🙂 N x
UPDATE: IT WAS DIVINE!!!! it was such a hit last night! absolutely delicious and I can’t wait to try more recipes on your blog!
HIGH FIVE! So glad you enjoyed it Kait, thanks for taking the time to come back and let me know! N x
I’m an absolute sucker for “Lamb Shanks” an you’ve got my taste buds salivating with this recipe that’s why I’m giving this all the stars I can even now. I happen to have some shanks in the freezer and can’t wait for them to now thaw out. I love how you’ve given the extra comprehensive notes, even about the port wine not having to be expensive as I don’t drink alcohol, but use it in cooking only. We’ll be enjoying these tomorrow night. Thank you for sharing you beautiful recipes, I’ve also pinned your “Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks in Red Wine” Greek Slow Roasted Leg of Lamb” and Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder for more memorable meals down the track.
Oooh! I hope you love this Josephine!
Can’t wait to make this! If I need to serve 8, can everything just be doubled? And if my dutch oven is a little small, is it ok to cook them in the oven in a casserole dish or baking dish, or is the dutch oven the best way?
Hi Robyn! Sorry for the late response 🙁 Casserole dish is fine, just start it on the stove, finish it in the oven, see recipe notes!
Hi Nagi – The recipe looks delicious! Do you think I could cook it on high for 4 hours in the crock pot instead of 8 on low?
Hi Brittney! I think it might be 5 hours on high 🙂
Hi, I am new to Cast Iron Dutch oven cooking and I was wondering if a 7 1/4 quart Dutch oven would be the right size to use for this recipe? Or would a 5.5 quart Dutch oven be a better size to use? Since I am not familiar with Dutch oven cooking I am struggling with understanding if you have to adjust the amount of liquid in recipes depending on the size of the Dutch oven you use so that the dish will cook OK. Or will either size work fine with no adjustments to the recipe? From looking at the photos it looks like The 7 1/4 quart size is the way to go. Any advice is much appreciated! 🙂
Hi Kimberly! The 7 quart one is ideal for this especially because of the shape of lamb shanks 🙂 Hope you love! N x
Hi Nagi,
I’m new to your amazing site and cannot wait to cook many of these recipes. The local lamb guy at the farmer’s market didn’t have enough shanks on my recent visit, so I plan on using beef short ribs this week instead as they are very easy to get. I love lamb though and will revisit this recipe again for the shanks. Are there any changes that need to be made if using the beef ribs? For example, do I use the same amount of meat? Can I let them sit overnight in the fridge to be served the following day? I’m so anxious to try out the recipe that I don’t want to wait around for the farmer’s market on Sunday to make this recipe! Thanks!!
Hi Liana – ribs is fabulous for this recipe! Use the same weight and follow the recipe exactly, except check it after 1 hour of slow cooking to see how the meat is going then every 30 minutes thereafter until tender 🙂 And YES to leaving it overnight, it’s even better!
This recipe looks amazing and I can’t wait to try it. Could you make it with a slow cooker?
Definitely! Please see note 4 🙂
As soon as I finish my shopping list, I’m on your recipe for Lamb Shanks. Love all your tips, and have not had any-
thing my family didn’t like. They seem to prefer your foods more than mine, lol. And your Mom’s are also excellent, I’m sure she was instrumental in your cooking ” lessons” making more from less. Thanks again for all the wonderful meals.
Aww Bunny, don’t say that! Your family love your food more than one, it’s just mine is something new I guess? 🙂 N x
These look amazing, Nagi! Perfect now that the weather is getting cooler (although I guess your weather is completely different, haha).
You think a little warm weather stops me from making this?? Not a chance! 😉
Nagi I am addicted to your recipes. I only discovered you about 2 months ago and so far I have cooked at least 10 of your dishes – comfort food made with great quality ingredients…heaven on a plate!!!
I made this dish last night, and as per usual it was truly and simply divine…thank you! I am desperate to get my slow cooking fix out of my system before Sydney hits spring and salad fever starts…mere days away I think…
I just wanted to check, if I wanted to reduce the sweetness would it be best to change the mix of red wine to port ie. 3 cups red wine to 1.5 cups of port? I want all that lovely port taste, texture and colour with a little less sweetness. BTW I used Penfolds Club Port.
thanks!
Hi Chrissy, I’m so glad you found me! Thank you for trying my recipes 🙂 I’m glad you enjoyed this!! To be honest, I still slow cook even in the warmer months, I just adore slow cooked foods! Plus using a slow cooker is really handy, no slaving over a stove!! Re: reducing sweetness, yes I would increase the red wine and reduce the port and add 1 tsp more flour (because the port thickens when reduced at the end). The other option is to increase the savouriness to counteract the sweetness by adding some dried porcini (I use 1/4 cup dried porcini, hydrate in hot water and add water into broth). PS You’re right about salad fever, I’ve had salad meals every day this week.
Made this yesterday and served it today for dinner. Died, and am writing this from heaven! Used 6 shanks and the sauce was plentiful. Added fresh rosemary in the reducing stage and it was the silkiest, most scrumptious sauce. You may have little hands, but they are mighty!
I read this message earlier in the week and almost died laughing!!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it Michele, thanks so much for letting me know!
Hi Nagi, I made this over the weekend and my family absolutely devoured it. They couldn’t believe how tender the meat was and they loved the sauce. Such depth of flavour and so easy – just set and forget! I did mine in the slow cooker and served them the next day. Thanks for another terrific, family friendly meal.
Thanks so much for trying my recipe Jen! I am SO happy you enjoyed it, the sauce is incredible, isn’t it??? Port! Well, alcohol generally, wine does the same. 🙂 Thank you again! N x
I’m a sucker for braised meats so after seeing your post on Friday morning, I went to the store and bought the ingredients to make it. I let it braise in the slow cooker all day Friday then strained the sauce and let everything sit in the fridge overnight. I cooked down the sauce and warmed up the lamb shanks the next day and we had it with mashed potatoes for dinner on Saturday. It was delicious! Love the port and wine combination. I’m looking forward to finishing off the leftovers later this week.
These truly do look restaurant quality, Nagi! I’ve always been a bit ‘afraid’ of cooking big chunks of red meat, so I really should give it a whirl some time this winter.
And what a bonus that all this deliciousness is cooked up with so few ingredients…. just up my street, as you can well imagine!
I love your way with words Helen, you crack me up!!! Hey – how’s everything going re: coming back to Aus??!!! 🙂
Lamb shanks are quite my favourite part of my favourite animal! And, yes, they are expensive in Australia also – when I think that way back when I brought up a number of dogs on huge pots of shanks . . .now
’tis hard to afford this glorious meat for myself. Lovely recipe . . . have to try it your way as I would have roughly reversed my amounts of wine and port . . . nice experiment!!
You did NOT!!! The dogs got lamb shanks????
Hate to tell you Nagi that I remember the time my Double Bay butcher would fill up a bag ‘for the pups’ and not charge for them . . . . The latter would sit for hours right in front of the stove ’cause they recognized the aroma! The long-haired dachsie ate ‘dainty’ and slow, the Pembroke corgi ripped the bones apart in a minute 🙂 !! One ate inside, the other wolfed outside!! Oh, we loved big dogs like Dozer, but lacked the time to walk them . . .
The thought of the sight!! Ha ha ha!!
Do you think the lamb will share the port with me?? So you guys have Aldi’s? We were just there — I’ll have to check out their port. We don’t usually buy our wine there but I’ll give the port a try. Poor Dozer, he looks so forlorn looking at that meat. I bet he’s just waiting for you to turn your back 🙂 Heck, you wouldn’t miss one shank. I’m saving your recipe to try — we have a hard time finding nice size lamb shanks like yours. Have a great weekend.
We do! It’s becoming more and more popular 🙂 I don’t buy my drinking wine there but it’s great for cooking wine!! Dozer was puzzled why a shank didn’t jump out of the pot???