Greek Lamb Shanks

A Greek lamb shank over mashed potatoes in a plate, on a table with a cloth napkin.

Our Greek lamb shank recipe is perfect for an Easter gathering or Sunday dinner. The shanks slow-cook in a red wine broth with garlic, rosemary, sea salt and vegetables until the meat falls off the bone.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Greek

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 3

Total Time 3 15

Servings

Calories 506kcal

Author by Jenny Skrapaliori Graves

Equipment

oven proof pot like a dutch oven

Ingredients

4 lamb shanks (about 3 lbs / 1.4 kg)
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil plus more for browning
1 cup onion roughly chopped
1 large carrot roughly chopped
2 celery stalks roughly chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
5-6 garlic cloves
⅔ bottle red wine
3 cups chicken stock
2 bay leaves
3–4 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon dried oregano
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour optional

Instructions

Heat the oven at 140°C / 284°F
Season the lamb with sea salt and freshly ground pepper and some dried oregano.
Place an oven-proof pot over high heat, add olive oil, and sauté the lamb shanks until well browned on all sides.
Transfer the lamb to a plate and discard the liquids from the pot.
Pour in the olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, celery, and carrots. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the tomato paste and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Pour in the wine and deglaze the pan, cook on high until alcohol has evaporated, about 3 minutes.
Return the lamb to the pot, add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, add the rosemary and bay leaves, cover the pot, and place it in the oven.
Cook, covered in the oven at 140°C / 284°F until the lamb is tender and falls off the bone, about 3 hours.
Strain the stock through a sieve into a saucepan and boil until the sauce has thickened. See recipe notes for thickening the sauce

Notes

To thicken the sauce: Mix 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour with ¼ cup of the hot sauce until fully dissolved, then pour into the simmering sauce while stirring rapidly. Simmer 4–5 minutes until it reaches the consistency you want.

Gluten-free: Mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water and stir into the simmering sauce. Cook 1–2 minutes.

Skim the fat from the strained braising liquid before reducing it, or the sauce will be greasy.

How to tell it's done: a fork should meet no resistance and the meat should have pulled back from the bone. If it still grips, give it another 30–45 minutes.

You can cook the shanks on the stovetop over low heat instead, about 2½–3 hours.

The nutritional analysis is only an estimate based on available ingredients and the recipe’s preparation.

Nutrition