Slow cooked lamb shanks with gremolata

These slow-cooked lamb shanks are rich, tender, and deeply flavoured, cooked gently until the meat falls off the bone. Finished with a fresh lemon and herb gremolata, this dish strikes the perfect balance between comfort and brightness. Thanks to hands-off slow cooking in the Instant Pot, it’s an ideal centrepiece for Easter, dinner parties, or a relaxed weekend meal.

Most of the work happens in one pot, with a short finishing step to glaze the lamb before serving.

Servings: 4–6 people
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 5 hours
Finishing time: 10 minutes
Total time: approx. 5 hours 30 minutes
Appliance: Instant Pot multicooker 

Ingredients

• Lamb shanks
• 2 carrots, peeled
• 1 onion, peeled
• 2 sticks celery
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 400 ml stock
• 250 ml red wine
• 1 tsp whole peppercorns
• 4 lamb shanks
• Olive oil, for cooking

Gremolata

• Small bunch parsley
• Small bunch chives
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 lemon
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Preparation method

Prepare the vegetables
Cut the carrots, onion, and celery into large chunks.

Select Sauté on the Instant Pot and set the heat to high. Add a drizzle of olive oil and sauté the vegetables for about 1 minute, just until lightly coloured. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another 30 seconds to 1 minute to remove the raw flavour.

Build the braising liquid
Pour in the stock and red wine, scraping up any caramelised bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the peppercorns and nestle the lamb shanks into the liquid.

Press Cancel, then select Slow Cook on low. Set the timer for 5 hours and ensure Keep Warm is switched on. Secure the lid with the vent open. Cook until the lamb is very tender and easily pulls away from the bone. This step can also be done overnight.

Reduce the sauce
When cooked, carefully lift the lamb shanks out using a slotted spoon and place them on a tray. Strain the braising liquid, discard the solids, and return the sauce to the Instant Pot.

Select Sauté and simmer the sauce until thick, glossy, and reduced to about 1½ cups. Spoon roughly one-third of the sauce over the lamb shanks.

Optional tip: If time allows, chill the sauce first and remove the solidified fat before reducing for a cleaner finish.

Glaze the lamb
Preheat your air fryer to 190°C or your oven to 200°C. Roast or air fry the glazed lamb shanks for 5–10 minutes until lightly browned and glossy.

Prepare the gremolata
Finely chop the parsley and chives, reserving a little chives for garnish. Combine with grated garlic, lemon zest, olive oil, and 1–2 teaspoons of lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. The gremolata should be loose and spoonable.

Serve
Spoon the remaining hot lamb jus onto a large serving platter. Arrange the lamb shanks on top, drizzle with any juices from the tray, and finish with the gremolata and reserved chives.

The Instant Pot makes slow cooking lamb shanks simple and reliable, maintaining a steady low temperature that results in tender meat and a deeply flavoured sauce. Finishing the dish in the oven or air fryer adds colour and gloss without drying out the lamb.

Discover more impressive yet effortless dishes in our Instant Pot recipes.

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