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    Home » Meat Recipes » Slow Cooker Lamb Shanks

    Slow Cooker Lamb Shanks

    Last updated: Jul 11, 2022 · Recipes developed by Vered DeLeeuw and nutritionally reviewed by Rachel Benight MS, RD · This website generates income via ads and uses cookies.

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    In this easy recipe, flavorful, tender, fall-off-the-bone lamb shanks are cooked in the slow cooker with broth and aromatics until wonderfully tender.

    I love serving them over buttery mashed cauliflower, and the leftovers are wonderful too!

    Lamb shank, cooked in the slow cooker, served on a bed of cauliflower mash.

    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.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Expert tip
    • Frequently asked questions
    • Variations
    • Serving suggestions
    • Storing leftovers
    • Related recipes
    • Recipe Card

    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.

    A six-photo collage showing steps for cooking lamb shanks in the slow cooker.

    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

    What part is the shank?

    The shank is the cut of lamb taken from the lower part of its legs. As you can imagine, that part gets quite a bit of exercise, making it tough - unless it's slowly braised in a small amount of liquid.

    Should I brown lamb shanks before slow cooking?

    Not necessarily. I've experimented with browning the shanks before putting them in the slow cooker, but I have found that the extra step is not worth the trouble. The dish is excellent with or without browning.

    Why are my lamb shanks tough?

    They should be cooked low and slow, and the ideal method for them is braising, not roasting. That's why the slow cooker is ideal. When cooked this way, their tough meat becomes wonderfully tender.

    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.

    Lamb shank served with mashed cauliflower.

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    Recipe Card

    Slow Cooker Lamb Shanks
    4.98 from 586 votes
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    Slow Cooker Lamb Shanks

    In this easy recipe, flavorful, tender, fall-off-the-bone lamb shanks are slowly cooked with broth and aromatics until wonderfully tender.
    Prep Time10 minutes mins
    Cook Time4 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
    Total Time4 hours hrs 25 minutes mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Greek
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 377kcal
    Author: Vered DeLeeuw
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup beef broth
    • 4 small lamb shanks about 3 lb. total weight
    • 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
    • ½ teaspoon dried rosemary

    Instructions

    • Add the broth to your slow cooker.
    • Season the lamb shanks with salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin, and rosemary. Place the shanks in your slow cooker.
    • Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or on LOW for 7 hours, until the lamb is very tender.
    • When the lamb shanks finish cooking, set the slow cooker to WARM.
    • Transfer the cooked lamb shanks to a plate. Strain the cooking liquids into a glass measuring cup, then return the lamb shanks to the slow cooker pan (carefully wipe it with warm moist paper towels if needed) and cover, to keep the meat warm while you thicken the gravy.
    • Use a spoon to skim the fat layer off the top of the cooking juices. Pour them into a medium saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat until almost boiling but not quite, then turn the heat down to medium and simmer, whisking occasionally, until liquids are reduced into a rich gravy, 10-15 minutes. 
    • Transfer the lamb shanks to plates, spoon the gravy on top, and serve.

    Video

    Notes

    There's no need to brown the lamb shanks on the stove before adding them to the slow cooker. I've experimented with browning them first, but I have found that the extra step is not worth the trouble. The dish is excellent with or without browning.
    The lamb shanks I typically use are imported from Australia or New Zealand. Local ones 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.

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    Nutrition per Serving

    Serving: 1lamb shank | Calories: 377kcal | Protein: 57g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 502mg
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    DisclaimersMost of our recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate, and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read our Terms of Use carefully before using any of our recipes.

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    About the Author

    Vered Deleeuw Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. Click to learn more about Vered.

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Emma B

      September 02, 2023 at 12:18 pm

      5 stars
      I never had lamb shanks before, but they were on sale so I got them. They were so good, and this recipe - like all your recipes - was easy to follow. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Vered DeLeeuw

        September 02, 2023 at 4:01 pm

        You're very welcome, Emma!

        Reply
    2. Lucy C

      May 22, 2023 at 1:15 am

      5 stars
      I thought this was great, the more so for being incredibly easy. The lamb was super tender (I did 4.5 hours on high) — even though, as someone who has usually done lamb shanks in the oven covered in liquid, I was worried about cooking the lamb with so little broth.

      Reply
      • Vered DeLeeuw

        May 23, 2023 at 3:58 pm

        I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Lucy!

        Reply

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    Healthy Recipes Blog was founded in 2011 by Vered DeLeeuw. It features real-food recipes with a focus on low-carb and gluten-free ingredients. All recipes are nutritionally reviewed by a Registered Dietitian. Contact us at HealthyRecipesBlog@gmail.com.


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