Red Wine Braised Lamb Shanks

This is a Sunday meal.
It takes for-absolutely-ever; basically 3 hours start to finish, which is perfect for Sundays, and not possible any other day of the week.
I served it with parsley and rice on the side. I suggest letting everyone plate for themselves, as everyone has different opinions about the sauce to solids ratios. I prefer mine like a soup and others may wish it was all about that hunk of meat.


- A large glug of olive oil
- 4 lamb shanks
- 2 large onions, sliced
- 1 carrot, peeled and sliced
- 1 stick celery, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced
- 250ml full bodied red wine
- 250ml lamb stock
- 1 can plum tomatoes
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig thyme
- Chopped flat leaf parsley
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan (Le Creuset if you have one!), add the lamb shanks and brown well on all sides.
- Reduce the heat and transfer the shanks off to a plate. Add the onions, carrot and celery to the frying pan and cook for about 5 minutes, until starting to soften and turn golden. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
- Pour the wine into the pan, bring to the boil and simmer for 3 mins. Add the stock and tomatoes and bring back to the boil.
- Season with salt and pepper and add the bay leaf and thyme.
- Put the shanks back in to the pan, nestling them into the sauce.
- Cover, and cook in the oven at 320f/160c for 2 hours, turning the shanks every 30 minutes.
- When ready to serve top with chopped parsley and serve over rice.