Slow Cooker Lamb Shanks Super Tender

I love serving them over buttery mashed cauliflower, and the leftovers are wonderful too! I adore lamb. I realize that not everyone likes this bold-tasting meat, but I find it so intensely flavorful! The shanks are especially fun to eat. They’re like huge drumsticks - I feel like a cavewoman when I eat them. 😀 So I make this recipe quite often. It’s truly easy, and I always try to make extra, so that I have yummy leftovers. This is one of those dishes that keep very well in the fridge and also reheats well.

Ingredients

You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make slow-cooker lamb shanks. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need: Beef broth: Store-bought is fine - just check the ingredients list to make sure it looks OK. Chicken stock is also fine. Lamb shanks: About 3 lb. total weight. The ones I typically use are imported from Australia or New Zealand. Local lamb shanks are often bigger, and if yours are much bigger, you might need to increase the cooking time - try adding 30 minutes on HIGH or one hour on LOW. To season: In addition to kosher salt and black pepper, I like to use garlic powder, cumin, and dried rosemary. You can experiment with other spices, such as smoked paprika or onion powder.

Instructions

Lamb shanks should be cooked low and slow, or the meat will be tough. Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps: First, you add a small amount of beef broth to your slow cooker. Next, you season the shanks and place them in your slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours. You can also cook on LOW for 7 hours. When the shanks are done, strain the cooking liquids and simmer them, reducing them into a rich glaze. It’s time to eat! Transfer the shanks to plates, spoon the gravy on top, and serve.

Expert tip

This is a truly easy recipe. I would say that the only challenging part is making the gravy. It’s important to skim the fat off the cooking liquids before attempting to reduce them. Otherwise, the oil can separate. Cook the liquids patiently over medium heat just until thickened, then immediately turn the heat off. This can take as long as 15 minutes. You can speed up the process by mixing a teaspoon of cornstarch with a tablespoon of cold water and stirring that into the cooking liquids.

Frequently asked questions

Variations

I love this recipe as is and almost always make it as written. But in case you’d like to vary the basic recipe, here are a few ideas for you:

If you don’t have beef broth, chicken broth is fine. You can also use water.Go ahead and experiment with the spices you use! Onion powder, smoked paprika, and oregano are all good candidates to use in this recipe.

Serving suggestions

I usually serve this dish on a bed of mashed cauliflower, as shown in the photo. The cauliflower mash works well to absorb the tasty gravy. Then I add a simple green vegetable. An easy one is microwave broccoli.

Storing leftovers

Leftovers keep well in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 4 days. Reheat them gently, covered, in the microwave on 50% power, turning midway through reheating.

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