Instant Pot Lamb Shanks
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Easy, tender, melt in your mouth instant pot lamb shanks recipe, homemade with simple ingredients in 1 hour. Loaded with herbs, spices and gravy.
Lamb often scares home chefs when it comes to the preparation of it, but the pressure cooker takes all that fear away. This is the easiest, juiciest, and most flavorful lamb you will eat. Impress your family or guests with this show stopping meal. Try this Perfect Roast Beef (One Pot) or Instant Pot Beef Curry (Indian) if you need more elegant dishes for company.
Cooking Lamb Shanks is Easy!
- Simple ingredients
- Instant pot makes cooking so fast!
- Juicy and tender meat
- Flavor packed
What Is The Shank Of A Lamb?
It is is the shin of the lamb, or the bone and muscle on the lower leg of the lamb. It’s one of the most flavorful cuts. There is a lot of collagen and when cooked slowly, gives the meat a “melt in your mouth” texture.
How To Make Instant Pot Lamb Shanks Recipe From Scratch?
- Season and brown shanks– And keep aside.
- Saute vegetables- This includes onions, garlic, carrots, celery, cinnamon stick and cook.
- Add shanks– Back in the pot.
- Add remaining ingredients– This includes broth, tomato paste, red wine, Italian seasoning, paprika, cumin powder, turmeric powder, salt, pepper, fresh thyme, rosemary, bay leaves.
- Mix -Until combined.
- Cook– Until meat is softened.
- Release pressure naturally– And transfer shanks to a plate.
- Make gravy- Add the cornstarch slurry to thicken it.
- Coat shanks– Add the meat back in the pot and coat it with the thick gravy.
- Enjoy!- Serve with mashed potatoes.
Red Wine Sauce
To make the red wine sauce, combine all of the following ingredients, and pour into the pressure cooker over the shanks prior to cooking. When cook time is over, discard cinnamon stick, bay leaves and springs of rosemary and thyme. Remove the shanks to a plate. Cook remaining juices and broth uncovered until thickened with a splash of cornstarch slurry.
- 2 cups Chicken broth Low sodium, Or beef broth
- 2 tbsp Tomato paste
- 1/2 cup Red wine Can be replaced with broth
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Cumin powder
- 1 tsp Turmeric powder Optional
- Salt To taste
- Pepper To taste
- 1 sprig Thyme Fresh
- 1 sprig Rosemary Fresh
- 2 Bay leaves
How To Cook Lamb Shanks? (Other Methods)
Slow cooked in the oven (roasted)– These would be cooked in a roasting pan for a few hours at a low temperature.
Slow cooker lamb shanks– Place the meat in the crockpot with liquid (such as broth or wine) and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours.
Braised lamb shanks– Cook on the stovetop in a dutch oven braising in liquids such as wine and bone broth.
How Long To Cook Lamb Shanks? (Cooking Time)
Slow Cooker/Crockpot– Cook on Low heat for 6-8 hours
Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker– Cook on “Manual” mode for 60 minutes.
Oven– They will take about 2.5 hours to become tender and juicy.
Stovetop– Cook on low heat for about 2-3 hours, making sure there is enough liquid for braising.
What Sides To Serve With Lamb Shanks?
Potatoes make an excellent side for lamb. Try any of the following for a perfect match: Creamy Mashed Potatoes Recipe (One Pot), Mashed Sweet Potatoes (One Pot), or for a healthier non-potato version this Garlic Mashed Cauliflower (One Pot).
Pasta would make a delicious side such as Garlic Lemon Pasta (One Pot), Creamy Spinach Pasta (One Pot), or Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe.
Roasted vegetables are a perfect companion as well. This Oven Roasted Vegetables (One Pan), Oven Roasted Carrots (One Pan), or Oven Roasted Asparagus (One Pan) are all great choices.
Soup is also a great option such as this Cream of Broccoli Soup (One Pot), Curried Butternut Squash Soup (One Pot), or Carrot Ginger Soup (One Pot).
Variations
Moroccan shanks– Cook in a Tagine with dates, nutmeg, cumin, almonds, and mint.
Greek shanks– Add Greek seasonings and Greek olive oil.
Indian shanks– Use red curry paste, garam masala, curry leaves and coconut milk.
Garnish with fresh herbs– Mint, parsley, cilantro or basil would be nice additions.
Make it spicy– Add red chili flakes, jalapenos, or cayenne pepper for some heat.
Make it a creamy red wine sauce– Add heavy cream or coconut milk to the sauce at the end, and heat gently.
Tips And Techniques
How to thicken gravy? Use a cornstarch slurry to thicken it. If this doesn’t work, then continue to cook the gravy on Saute mode until enough liquid evaporates to create the desired consistency.
Why are my lamb shanks tough? This means they were cooked at too high of a temperature, or not long enough.
Why do you need to brown lamb shanks? This helps seal in the juice and add so much flavor and texture to the meat.
Non-alcoholic red wine substitute– Simply use broth in place of the wine. Some people substitute with a little bit of grape juice.
What wine to use? A good quality red wine really makes a difference. Try Cabernet, Pinot Noir, or Merlot.
Make sure to discard large herbs- Discard cinnamon stick, bay leaves and springs of rosemary and thyme.
Why is my gravy grainy? If you want a very smooth gravy, strain it through a fine mesh strainer before adding the cornstarch slurry.
Release pressure naturally– This allows the meat to continue cooking a little longer and become tender and fall off the bone good.
Use low-sodium ingredients– This is with regards to the broth and butter because it this will prevent the dish from becoming too salty.
Storage
Refrigerate– In a sealed container for up to 3 days.
Freeze– In a freezer safe sealed container for up to 1 month.
Reheat– From thawed, in the microwave or on the stove with liquid to keep it from burning.
More Instant Pot Meals
- Instant Pot Peanut Butter Chicken
- Instant Pot Red Wine Pot Roast
- Instant Pot Italian Beef
- Instant Pot Sloppy Joes
- Instant Pot Shredded Beef
Instant Pot Lamb Shanks
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Oil
- 3 Lamb shanks, Trimmed of excess fat
- 2 tbsp Butter, Unsalted
- 1 cup Onion, Finely chopped
- 3 cloves Garlic , Finely minced
- 1/3 cup Carrots, Finely chopped
- 1/3 cup Celery , Finely chopped
- 1 Cinnamon stick, 2 inch piece
- 2 cups Chicken broth, Low sodium, Or beef broth
- 2 tbsp Tomato paste
- 1/2 cup Red wine, Can be replaced with broth
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Cumin powder
- 1 tsp Turmeric powder, Optional
- Salt , To taste
- Pepper, To taste
- 1 sprig Thyme, Fresh
- 1 sprig Rosemary, Fresh
- 2 Bay leaves
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch
- 1 tbsp Water
Instructions
- Turn Instant Pot to “Saute”mode and heat oil.
- Season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper.
- Add them in the pressure cooker and brown them on each side. If the pot is too crowded, work in batches.
- Remove lamb from the pot and keep aside.
- Heat butter on the "Saute" mode.
- Add onions, garlic, carrots, celery, cinnamon stick and cook for 4-5 minutes or until veggies are partially softened and fragrant.
- Add the shanks back in the pot.
- Add broth, tomato paste, red wine, Italian seasoning, paprika, cumin powder, turmeric powder, salt, pepper, fresh thyme, rosemary, bay leaves.
- Mix until combined.
- Put the lid on and turn the the valve to “Sealing.” Select “Manual” mode and set the timer for 60 minutes.
- When the cook time is over, let the pot sit undisturbed and allow the pressure to release naturally.
- Remove the lid and gently transfer the shanks onto a plate. They should be very tender. Cover with foil to keep them warm.
- Discard cinnamon stick, bay leaves and springs of rosemary and thyme.
- Turn on the "Saute" mode and cook the gravy until it's simmering.
- Then, thicken gravy by dissolving cornstarch and water to make a slurry and pour that in the pot, while gently stirring.
- Continue cooking on this mode until liquid is reduced to your desired thickness.
- Add the lambs back in the pot and coat it with the thick gravy.
- Serve with mashed potatoes. Enjoy!
Notes
- Read all my tips above.
- If you want a very smooth gravy, strain it through a fine mesh strainer before adding the cornstarch slurry.
- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated in the microwave or stovetop.
