Slow-Cooked Tassie Lamb Shanks in Red Wine

Slow-Cooked Tassie Lamb Shanks in Red Wine
Prep Time: 35 mins Cook Time: 4 hours Servings: 4
Chef: @cookingwithmaddog

A true winter warmer, this rich and comforting lamb dish is built for cold nights and hearty appetites. Using premium Tasmanian lamb shanks from The Butcher Shoppe, this slow-cooked meal is all about deep rich rustic flavours. Created by @cookingwithmaddog who you can follow along on his Instagram page, this recipe is packed with love, patience, and top-quality ingredients, and yes, it’s gluten-free friendly too.

Pair it with creamy mash or soft polenta and serve with buttered peas and baby carrots for the ultimate comfort food feast.

Ingredients

  • 4 lamb shanks (Tasmanian lamb, from The Butcher Shoppe)
  • 2–3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/4 cup of plain flour or gluten-free flour (for dredging)
  • 1 large onion, roughly chopped
  • 5 garlic cloves, crushed or finely chopped
  • 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 1 bunch fresh thyme
  • 1 bunch of rosemary
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 3 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 bottle red wine (750 ml and the best quality that suits your budget)
  • 2–3 cups chicken stock (enough to mostly cover the shanks)
  • 2 - Knobs of butter, to finish
  • Corn flour or gluten free starch, to thicken sauce
  • Salt & freshly cracked black pepper, to season
  • Mashed potatoes or soft polenta, to serve
  • Sautéed baby carrots & steamed buttery peas, to serve

Method

  1. Preheat your oven to 140°c. Pat the lamb shanks dry, season generously with salt, then lightly dredge in flour.
  2. In a large oven-proof casserole dish or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the lamb shanks on all sides until golden. Do this in batches if needed. Set aside.
  3. In the same pot, add a little more oil if needed. Sauté the onions, carrots, celery for a few minutes, then add your garlic until soft and fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2–3 minutes to deepen its flavour.
  4. Deglaze your pot and pour in the whole bottle of red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Simmer and reduce by half to concentrate the flavour. You can turn up the heat to help speed up the process and cook off the wine.
  5. Once reduced, return the lamb shanks to the pot. Add the thyme, rosemary and bay leaves. Add enough chicken stock to almost cover the shanks.
  6. Bring to a gentle simmer on the stovetop, then cover with a lid and transfer to the oven. Cook at 140°C for around 3.5-4 hours. Then remove your lid and cook for another 30 minutes or until the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender. Be careful to not overcook your lamb to the point that the bone completely separates from the meat. You want the meat to be soft but still hold together.
  7. Carefully remove the shanks and strain out the vegetables. Discard the herbs and bay leaves. Return the liquid to the stove and simmer over medium heat until reduced to a glossy, rich sauce. Stir in a knob of butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. To thicken your sauce, add in some corn flour or a gluten free starch to a cup with cold water and mix well, add to your sauce to thicken to your desired consistency.
  8. Finish and Serve: Carefully return the lamb shanks to the sauce to warm through. Plate with creamy mashed potatoes or polenta, and spoon over generous amounts of sauce. Serve with steamed baby carrots and peas on the side.

Notes

Always check your flour, stock, and tomato paste for gluten-free labelling to keep this recipe safe for coeliacs. You can swap out red wine for extra stock if needed, but the wine gives a deep, luxurious flavour that makes this dish shine. If you have any questions on this recipe, reach out and follow Ollie @cookingwithmaddog on Instagram, who will happily help where he can.

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