Lamb Shanks

Age suitable:

6 months+

Servings:

4 adults

Dairy free, Egg free, Gluten Free, Iron rich, Nut free, Protein rich, Soy free

5 stars

About the recipe

This slow-braised lamb shank recipe is the kind of nourishing, comforting meal that fills your whole home with warmth. Lamb shanks make a great first food for your baby that you can share too as it’s beautifully tender – the meat falls away from the bone with barely any effort.

The slow cooking does all the hard work for you, and the sauce is so delicious you’ll want to save every last drop (it makes the most amazing pasta sauce the next day). Meals like this, built around whole ingredients and simple techniques, are exactly the kind you’ll also find in Milk to Meals.

Age Appropriate

6 months +

Notes for Serving BLW or Puree

For BLW, shred the lamb into soft, moist pieces and serve alongside mashed vegetables to help babies scoop and explore. You can also offer the bone which is an amazing ‘hard-munchable’ to chew on.

For purée-style feeding, blend some lamb with the cooked veg and a little broth/sauce until smooth.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the lamb shanks with creamy mashed potato, sweet potato, pumpkin, or a cauliflower-potato mash.
Leftover sauce is beautiful tossed through pasta, spooned over polenta, or served with roasted vegetables.

Storage for Freezer and Fridge

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freeze shredded lamb and sauce in portions for up to 3 months.
Leftover sauce freezes especially well and makes an easy base for future meals.

Ingredient Swaps

Bone broth can be replaced with vegetable broth or stock.
Use dried herbs if fresh herbs aren’t available (1 tsp thyme or rosemary).
Add extra vegetables such as mushrooms, zucchini, or capsicum for more bulk.

Method

Preheat the oven to 170°C.
Season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper.
Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-based pot, then sear the lamb shanks until browned all over, about 5 minutes.
Transfer the lamb to a plate and drain any excess fat. Return the pot to medium heat with a little more olive oil and add the onion and garlic. Cook until soft and fragrant.
Add the celery and carrot and cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Pour in the bone broth, tinned tomatoes, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, bay leaves, and thyme or rosemary. Stir well.
Return the lamb shanks and any resting juices to the pot, submerging the meat as much as possible. Add extra broth if needed.
Cover with the lid and transfer to the oven. Cook for 2.5 to 3 hours, or until the meat is soft and pulls away from the bone.
Once tender, remove the lid, increase the oven temperature to 190°C, and cook for a further 30 minutes to thicken and reduce the sauce.
Optional: For a smooth sauce, remove the lamb and blend the sauce before serving.
Serve with mashed vegetables and spoon plenty of sauce over the top.