Braised Lamb Shanks with Garlic & Rosemary

Braised Lamb Shanks with Garlic & Rosemary

A hearty and comforting dish of fall-off-the-bone lamb shanks slow-cooked in a rich red wine and herb gravy. Ideal for cool evenings and Sunday roasts with the family.

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 2.5–3 hours

Ingredients

For the Lamb Shanks:

• 4 lamb shanks (around 350g each)

• Salt & cracked black pepper

• 2 tbsp plain flour

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 onion, diced

• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, crushed

• 1 tbsp tomato paste

• 1 cup red wine

• 2 cups beef stock

• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary

• 2 sprigs fresh thyme

• 2 bay leaves

• Zest of 1 lemon (optional)

To Serve:

• Creamy mashed potatoes or buttery kumara mash

• Steamed seasonal greens

Method

1. Preheat the oven
Set your oven to 160°C fan bake (or 180°C conventional).

2. Season and flour the lamb
Pat the lamb shanks dry with paper towels. Season well with salt and pepper, then lightly coat them in flour.

3. Brown the lamb
Heat olive oil in a large ovenproof pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the lamb shanks for 2–3 minutes on each side, until nicely browned. Remove and set aside.

4. Sauté the veggies
In the same pot, lower the heat to medium. Add diced onion and carrot and cook for 5–7 minutes, or until soft. Stir in the crushed garlic and tomato paste, and cook for another minute.

5. Deglaze the pot
Pour in the red wine. Stir well, scraping up any caramelised bits stuck to the bottom — that’s where the flavour is! Let it simmer for 2–3 minutes.

6. Build the braising liquid
Add beef stock, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, and lemon zest (if using). Give it all a good stir.

7. Return the lamb to the pot
Place the lamb shanks back into the pot. They should be mostly covered by the liquid — add a bit more stock or water if needed.

8. Slow-cook in the oven
Cover with a lid and place the pot in the oven. Cook for 2½ to 3 hours, or until the lamb is fall-off-the-bone tender.

9. Thicken the sauce (if needed)
Remove the lamb shanks and keep warm. Place the pot back on the stove and simmer the sauce uncovered for 10–15 minutes to reduce and thicken. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

10. Serve and enjoy
Serve lamb shanks over mashed potato or kūmara mash with a generous spoonful of the sauce. Add steamed greens on the si

Serving Suggestion:

Pair with a Marlborough Pinot Noir and crusty bread to mop up the sauce.

Tips:

• You can prepare this a day ahead – it tastes even better the next day.

• No red wine? Use extra beef stock with a splash of balsamic vinegar.

• For a slow cooker version, reduce stock to 1½ cups and cook on low for 8 hours.