Slow Cooker Lamb Shanks in Red Wine is a rich, comforting meal that is wonderfully easy to prepare. This easy dinner recipe makes tender lamb shanks slowly cooked to develop deep, hearty flavour.
Made with lamb shanks, vegetables, stock, red wine and tinned tomatoes, this recipe is perfect for cosy evenings or when you want a simple meal that feels a little special.
Originally published June 1, 2022. Updated March 19, 2026.
Making Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks Full Of Flavour
There is something so luxurious about slow cooked lamb, it is truly such a treat. Melt in the mouth lamb, so tender and falling off the bone. Lamb is definitely a luxury cut of meat, but if you have the chance to cook with it I hope you give this recipe a try.
Choosing The Right Red Wine For This Recipe
There are so many variations of this recipe available, I tend to throw in things I believe will complement each other in taste and provide some useful techniques to elevate the whole dish.
This recipe uses red wine, when cooking with wine the alcohol cooks off so you are simply left with the flavour so this is still a family friendly meal. Any rich full bodied red wine will do, like a merlot, cabernet sauvignon or shiraz, today I used a pinot noir as that is what we had on hand! No need for it to be an expensive wine, but one that is tasty.
Ingredients You Will Need
- Lamb Shanks (or Lamb Knuckles)
- Oil
- Salt & Pepper
- Onion
- Garlic
- Flour
- Tomato Paste
- Carrot
- Celery
- Red Wine
- Chicken Stock
- Tinned Tomatoes
- Thyme
- Cornflour
What red wine should I use? I always recommend using a red wine that you enjoy the taste of, but it does not need to be an expensive wine! A rich red wine such as cabernet sauvignon, shiraz or merlot. I used a pinot noir today as that is what we had on hand!
Do I have to use red wine? If you prefer not to, you can substitute extra stock and stock cubes to enhance the flavours.
Simple Prep Tips For Perfect Slow Cooked Lamb
I have a few tips for you to ensure that your lamb shanks are cooked to perfection, this is for both the slow cooker and a pressure cooker (Multi pot or Instant Pot) if you prefer to use that.
There is a little prep at the start and end of this recipe. Unlike many slow cooker recipes, the key to getting great flavour is to prep the dish well at the beginning and then again take some time before serving to make something truly special.
Preparing And Searing The Lamb For Maximum Flavour
The first step is to prepare the lamb shanks, or knuckles, they need to be trimmed as well as you can of the visible fat. For maximum flavour it is best to sear the lamb shanks on all sides before placing them in the slow cooker – season well with salt and pepper and pan fry.
Some people like to cook this dish the day before, the reason being they can skim the fat from the top after it cools. If you do this reheat it until it is piping hot again.
Creating A Rich Cooking Liquid For This Recipe
In the same pan you will want to sweat off the onion and garlic, then add the carrot and celery to begin to soften them briefly. I then stir through some flour and tomato paste then use the red wine to deglaze the pan, creating a simmering flavourful stock to add to the lamb shanks.
For extra flavour I use chicken stock and tinned tomatoes. I know some recipes call for all red wine, but I like this version for something different.
You want to cover the lamb shanks in the liquids, so ensure you press down the shanks if needed into the liquid before cooking.
Cooking Lamb Shanks Low And Slow
Ideally you want to cook the lamb shanks low and slow for around 8 hours. Slow cooker timings can vary slightly depending on the cut of meat or vegetables used, so my Slow Cooker Cooking Times Chart is a great guide to check.
The final step after cooking is to carefully remove the lamb from the slow cooker, then drain the liquids through a sieve. This separates the vegetables from the sauce.
If you ever wonder why something cooked faster, slower, or thinner than expected, I’ve answered the most common questions in my Slow Cooker FAQ.
Can I Make This Recipe In The Pressure Cooker?
Yes if you have a multi cooker or instant pot the method is the same as above. When you have all the ingredients in your pressure cooker, cook for 60 minutes on high. It will take up to 15 minutes to reach pressure, then you need it to naturally release pressure, this may take up to 30 minutes.
Thickening And Reducing The Sauce
The sauce at this stage is quite thin, so you will want to pour it into a frying pan, add cornflour and reduce the liquid by two-thirds over a rolling boil. This thickens the sauce, enhances all the lovely flavours, and makes for a much tastier result. I like to do this while my potatoes cook, as we love serving it with mashed potatoes.
If you would like more tips on reducing liquids in your slow cooker dishes, take a look at my guide How to Thicken Slow Cooker Sauce which explains several simple methods.
Do I serve the cooking vegetables or discard?
Totally up to you! I like to include them back into the dish when I serve, but you can remove them and discard, just using the sauce as it has used them to create the flavour.
More Slow Cooker Dinner Ideas
If you love the sound of the flavours in this Slow Cooker Lamb Shanks in Red Wine recipe, you may wish to check out some of my other slow cooker meals which use simple ingredients and are family favourites everyone will love:
- Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
- Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon
- Slow Cooker Devilled Sausages
- Slow Cooker Curried Sausages
Slow Cooker Lamb Shanks in a Red Wine Sauce Recipe
The full ingredient list and step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below.
Slow Cooker Lamb Shanks in Red Wine
Slow Cooker Lamb Shanks in Red Wine is a comforting and flavourful dinner recipe with tender lamb, vegetables, stock, red wine and tomatoes, all slowly cooked to perfection.
Ingredients
- 4 Lamb Shanks (or Lamb Knuckles)
- Oil
- Salt & Pepper
- 1/2 Onion, finley diced
- 2 teaspoons Garlic, crushed
- 2 Carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 sticks Celery, rinsed, diced
- 2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 2 Tablespoons Flour
- 1 Cup Red Wine
- 2 Cups Chicken Stock
- 1 400 gram Tin Canned Tomatoes
- Thyme
- 2 teaspoons Cornflour
- Parsley to garnish
- Mashed Potatoes to Serve
Instructions
- Trim any excess fat from the lamb shanks, season with salt and pepper, set aside
- Prepare your vegetables by finely dicing your onion, peel and dice the carrot into 1 cm pieces, rinse and dice the celery into 1 cm pieces and set aside
- Preheat a frying pan with a little oil and sear the lamb shanks the whole way around and the end, a few minutes each side, remove and place in the slow cooker
- In the same frying pan add the onion and garlic and stir for 1 minute over a medium heat
- Add to this the carrot and celery and stirring often cook for up to 4 minutes until the onion is translucent and soft
- Add to this the flour and tomato paste and stir to coat for 2 minutes
- Pour over the red wine and bring this to the boil, stirring constantly to mix through the flour and vegetables until no lumps remain
- Once at a boil add the chicken stock and tinned tomatoes, bring again to a gentle boil then carefully pour this over the lamb shanks in the slow cooker
- Press the lamb shanks down into the liquid to ensure they are fully covered
- Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours, or HIGH for at least 4 hours until the lamb is tender and beginning to fall off the bone
- Once cooked carefully remove the lamb shanks from the slow cooker and set aside in a dish covered under foil
- Over a large bowl, drain the liquid through a sieve to remove the vegetables from the liquid, set aside the vegetables to keep for the next stage
- Pour the liquid into a dry frying pan, remove 4 teaspoons of liquid into a small cup and add 2 teaspoons of cornflour, mix well until no lumps remain then return to the mixture
- Stir well, then bring to a rolling boil, stirring often, reduce the liquid by at least a half to 2/3rds until thickened, can take up to 30 minutes (I like to cook my potatoes at the same time)
- You can serve this two ways, you can place the lamb shanks in a serving dish and pour over the vegetables and all the sauce then serve along side your side dishes
- Or serve individually over mashed potatoes on each plate, add the lamb shank, some of the slow cooked vegetable mix then pour over the desired amount of sauce
- Sprinkle with parsley if using
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Can I cook lamb shanks in the pressure cooker?
Yes if you have a multi cooker or instant pot the method is the same as above. When you have all the ingredients in your pressure cooker, cook for 60 minutes on high. It will take up to 15 minutes to reach pressure, then you need it to naturally release pressure, this may take up to 30 minutes.
What red wine should I use?
I always recommend using a red wine that you enjoy the taste of, but it does not need to be an expensive wine! A rich red wine such as cabaret sauvignon, shiraz or merlot. I used a pinot noir today as that is what we had on hand!
Do I serve the cooking vegetables or discard?
Totally up to you! I like to include them back into the dish when I serve, but you can remove them and discard, just using the sauce as it has used them to create the flavour
Do I need to reduce the sauce?
Yes I think so in this instance, there is so much sauce leftover and it is quite thin, reducing it enhances the flavour and makes for a tastier sauce.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 423Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 8gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 87mgSodium: 276mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 2gSugar: 6gProtein: 26g
This nutrition calculation for Just Slow Cooker Recipes has been automated, please use your discretion with the calculation and use your own if unsure.
I Would Love To Hear Your Thoughts
This recipe first appeared on my other website, Just A Mum’s Kitchen.
I hope you love this Slow Cooker Lamb Shanks in Red Wine as much as we do. It’s such a lovely comforting dinner for cooler days and one I come back to again and again.
If you try it, I’d love to hear how it turned out for you in the comments below.
Also, if you enjoy this recipe, please leave a ⭐ rating in the recipe card above. Your feedback helps other readers and really supports my recipes.
Thank you so much for visiting and taking the time to try this recipe. I hope you find plenty of slow cooker inspiration here on my blog.
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Happy cooking!
Anna
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