Description

This easy lamb shanks recipe offers tender, flavorful meat cooked to perfection using your choice of Instant Pot, slow cooker, or oven. Rich with aromatic vegetables, tomatoes, and herbs, this comforting dish delivers a luscious sauce thickened by pureed veggies and accented with aged balsamic vinegar and fish sauce for depth. Ideal for an impressive yet simple dinner that fills your kitchen with enticing aromas.

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/Slow Cooker); 2 cups bone broth (Oven)
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)

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Instructions

Season Lamb Shanks: Generously season the lamb shanks with Magic Mushroom Powder or Diamond Crystal kosher salt, ensuring all sides are coated well.
Sear Lamb Shanks: Turn on the sauté function on the Instant Pot and heat 1 tablespoon of ghee or extra virgin olive oil. Sear the lamb shanks in batches for 8 to 10 minutes until browned on all sides. Remove the shanks to a platter. If you skip searing, the dish will still be delicious.
Sauté Vegetables: Add the remaining tablespoon of ghee or olive oil into the empty Instant Pot. Toss in the chopped onion, carrots, and celery, seasoning with Magic Mushroom Powder. Cook until vegetables soften slightly.
Add Aromatics: Stir in the tomato paste and garlic cloves, cooking until fragrant to build flavor.
Add Liquids and Herbs: Return the lamb shanks to the pot. Pour in the bone broth, aged balsamic vinegar, and fish sauce. Top with the drained diced tomatoes. Tuck thyme or rosemary sprigs and bay leaves among the lamb.
Cook Under Pressure: Lock the Instant Pot lid and set to cook on high pressure for 45 minutes.
Release Pressure: When cooking finishes, allow the pressure to release naturally or wait 20 minutes before manually releasing remaining pressure.
Prepare Sauce: Plate the lamb shanks and remove herbs from the sauce. Use an immersion blender to puree the vegetables, thickening the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, Magic Mushroom Powder, and black pepper.
Serve: Ladle the thickened sauce over the lamb shanks and garnish with fresh minced Italian parsley if desired. Enjoy immediately.

Notes

Slow Cooker Option: Sear shanks in a skillet with ghee or oil over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Sauté vegetables in the same skillet, then transfer to slow cooker. Layer seared lamb on vegetables, add bone broth, fish sauce, balsamic vinegar, tomatoes, herbs, and bay leaves. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or high for 5 to 6 hours. Proceed with blending sauce and seasoning as above.
Oven Braising Option: Preheat oven to 300°F. Sear lamb shanks in a Dutch oven with 1 tablespoon ghee or oil for 8 to 10 minutes. Sauté vegetables in same pot, add tomato paste and garlic until fragrant. Add lamb shanks back with 2 cups bone broth, fish sauce, balsamic vinegar, tomatoes, thyme or rosemary, and bay leaves. Bring to boil, cover, and braise in oven for 3 to 4 hours until meat is fork tender. Blend sauce and season before serving.
Skipping Searing: If short on time, skip searing; lamb will still be tender and flavorful though searing adds additional depth.
Substitutions: You can substitute ghee with olive oil or other neutral cooking oils. Use any fresh herbs if thyme or rosemary aren’t available.
Serving Suggestions: Serve with creamy mashed potatoes, polenta, or crusty bread to enjoy the rich sauce fully.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 lamb shank with sauce
Calories: 650 kcal
Sugar: 6 g
Sodium: 450 mg
Fat: 40 g
Saturated Fat: 15 g
Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 12 g
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 55 g
Cholesterol: 130 mg