If you’re unfamiliar with cooking
lamb, it could seem like a daunting task to take on but trust us—these braised lamb shanks couldn’t be easier to make. After a quick sear, the oven does all the work for you! Lamb shanks tend to be a tougher cut of meat, so to get tender, fall-off-the-bone lamb, it works best to cook them low and slow. Braised in a rich tomato-and-wine sauce, these lamb shanks are fancy enough to be the center of your Easter dinner, but easy enough to whip up as a warming, stick-to-your-ribs weeknight dinner. Here’s everything you need to know:
How to cook lamb shanks:
— Searing your lamb shanks. Before cooking our lamb in the oven, we give it a quick sear on the stovetop to improve the flavor and develop a better texture.
— How long do lamb shanks take to cook in the oven? Our lamb shanks were done after around 2 hours, but depending on the size of your lamb, they might need some extra time. If they’re on the bigger side, prepare for the cook time to be longer. The best way to tell if your lamb shanks are done is to check if the meat is fork tender—don’t be nervous to keep going until it is!
How to make the red wine sauce:
One of the best parts of this recipe? The rich and silky sauce our lamb shanks are braised in. The simple tomato-based sauce gets a velvety texture with the addition of red wine and butter, and truly makes all the difference when it comes to giving our lamb shanks an irresistible flavor—trust us, don’t skip it.
When it comes to the red wine, use your favorite bottle that you like to cook with. Checkout our article on red wine types if you need some help deciding on exactly what bottle to use.
Lamb shanks serving ideas:
You’ll definitely want something to soak up all of that delicious red wine and tomato sauce, so we highly success some creamy mashed potatoes or basmati rice. If you want to amp up the veggies, serve this up with some of our favorite veggie sides, like roasted asparagus or cacio e pepe Brussels sprouts.
Have you made this yet? Let us know how it went in the comments below!