Braised Lamb Shank in Red Wine Sauce

thumbnail of slow cooked braised lamb shanks in a copper bowl.

5 from 12 votes

Braised Lamb Shank in Red Wine Sauce

Easy, flavorful and incredibly tender lamb shank recipe, braised in a miso red wine sauce. A comforting and cozy dish that can be served with mashed potatoes, noodles or rice.

Prep Time5

Cook Time2

Total Time2 5

Course: Main

Cuisine: American, Asian, Fusion

Servings: lamb shanks

Calories: 603kcal

Author: Joyce Lee

Ingredients

3 lamb shanks (1kg)
3 cloves garlic
1 onion
2 slices ginger
900 ml low sodium beef broth
3 tablespoons red miso
2 cups red wine
3 bay leaves
salt to taste

Corn Starch Slurry (Optional, to thicken sauce)

2½ tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons cold water

Instructions

Preparation

Peel and slice 3 cloves garlic and set aside for later
Cut 2 slices ginger and set aside for later
Peel and slice 1 onion and set aside for later

Prepare the Lamb Shanks

In a large pot or Dutch oven, add 2 tablespoons of oil and 1 tablespoon of butter and set the stove to medium heat.
Once the butter has melted and the oil is hot, sear the lamb on all sides until it turns a bit brown (approximately 7-10 minutes, 2 minutes per side.)
Once the lamb shanks has been browned, add the onion, ginger, and garlic into the pot and brown it (approximately 5-7 minutes)
Once the onions have been browned, add 2 cups red wine, 900 ml low sodium beef broth, 3 tablespoons red miso, and 3 bay leaves to the pot.
Stir the liquid to mix the miso around until it has dissolved into the liquid.

Braise the Lamb

Adjust the stove to high heat until the broth starts to boil.
Once the broth is boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low to low. (Adjust the heat until you get a low, gentle rolling boil.) Cover the pot with a lid and braise it for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
** Important - Check every 30 minutes to make sure there is still enough braising liquid in the pot to cover the lamb shanks halfway. Add more beef broth if the braising liquid is less than halfway on the lamb shanks, until it is at the halfway mark again.
At the 1 hour and 30 mark, the lamb shank should be tender, use a fork to check. If you are using larger lamb shanks, you may need to cook them for 30 minutes longer, before reducing the liquid.
If your lamb is tender, and the sauce has not thickened, continue to cook it for another 30 minutes to reduce the liquid.
If the sauce still hasn't thickened to a silky gravy-like consistency after 2 hours, in a small bowl, mix 2½ tablespoons cornstarch with 3 tablespoons cold water to make a cornstarch slurry. Mix it into the broth a little bit at a time (keep stirring while you add it in) until it has thickened the gravy.
Remove the ginger and bay leaves and taste the sauce. If you prefer it saltier, adjust the saltiness by adding some salt.
Serve with rice, mashed potatoes, or noodles. Enjoy!

Notes

Type of Miso - For this recipe, I like using red miso because it is the most full-flavored and robust miso. If you are new to miso, you can try using the light miso (white and yellow miso) which have a more delicate and lighter in flavor.
Slow Braise For Tender Lamb - To get fall off the bone, fork tender lamb, it's important to slow braise it for at least two hours. This will ensure that the connective tissue will break down, which will give you the most delicious and tender lamb!
Check Braising Liquid Levels Every 30 Minutes - Depending on how big your pot is, and how hot your stove is, your braising liquid may cook away faster (or slower) than my stove. Always check every 30 minutes to see if you still have enough braising liquid for the lamb to slow cook in. You want to make sure your lamb shank is always at least half covered in liquid, and if you're running low, add some more broth in.
Always Use a Pot Lid - This will trap in the moisture and heat which will prevent the braising liquid from evaporating too quickly and to make the lamb tender by keeping a consistent moist and hot temperature for it.

Nutrition