This slow-simmered lamb and barley stew is everything we love in a family meal – nourishing, economical, and packed with flavour. Lamb shanks bring richness and iron, while the barley adds gentle fibre and texture that even little ones tend to love.
It’s one of those “cook once, eat multiple times” meals, perfect for batch cooking or slow weekend lunches. Serve it chunky for toddlers and adults, or shred the lamb and mash the veggies for babies exploring more texture.
Lamb shanks are a beautiful first meat for baby-led weaning – they become incredibly tender when slow-cooked, and the fibres are easy for babies to gnaw and suck on. You can serve soft, shredded pieces or offer a bone with some meat left on to support oral motor development.
We love that barley is such a hearty grain, but if your little one hasn’t yet tolerated gluten, you can easily swap it for something like brown rice or buckwheat.
Age suitable:
Meat is suitable from 6 months.
Whole meal is suitable when tolerating wheat. Or for gluten/wheat-free, swap barley for brown rice or quinoa and offer soft, shredded lamb with broth-soaked veggies.
Serving suggestions:
Serve chunky in bowls for older children and adults.
For babies, shred lamb and mash veggies with a little broth.
Can also be blended or mashed for spoon-feeding.
Storage:
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Flavours develop even more overnight!
- Freezer: Shred meat off the bone and freeze in portions with the barley and broth for up to 3 months.
Ingredient Swaps
- Lamb shanks – sub with diced lamb shoulder or beef osso bucco.
- Barley – swap for brown rice, farro, or quinoa.
- Broth – use veggie stock or water.
- Apple cider vinegar – swap with red wine vinegar or lemon juice.
- Fresh herbs – use ½ tsp dried thyme/rosemary or Italian herb mix.
- Lemon peel – optional, or use a splash of juice at the end.
Lamb and Barley Stew
Ingredients
- 4 lamb shanks
- 1 brown onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 sticks celery
- 4 TBSP tomato paste
- 1 TBSP apple cider vinegar
- 2 carrots
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 4 strips lemon peel roughly half a lemon peeled.
- 4 cups bone broth or water
- 160 grams barley thoroughly rinsed
- salt & pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp cooking oil/fat of choice
Instructions
OVEN INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 130C fan-forced.
- Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large oven-safe pot over high heat. Brown the lamb shanks on all sides, then remove and set aside.
- Add the remaining oil and sauté the onion, garlic, and celery until softened.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1–2 minutes until slightly caramelised. Add apple cider vinegar and scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze.
- Add the carrots, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, and lemon peel. Sauté for another 2 minutes.
- Return the lamb shanks to the pot and pour in bone broth or water – the shanks should be just submerged.
- Cover with a lid and place in the oven for 4 hours.
- After 4 hours, stir in the rinsed barley and cook for an additional 30 minutes, until the barley is tender but still chewy.
- Remove bay leaves and herb stems before serving. Season to taste.
OPTIONAL
- Serve with mashed potato, mashed cauliflower, or a chunk of sourdough.
SLOW COOKER INSTRUCTIONS
- Brown the lamb shanks in a pan as above (optional but adds depth of flavour).
- In the same pan, sauté the onion, garlic, and celery. Stir in tomato paste and deglaze with vinegar.
- Add all ingredients (except barley) to the slow cooker, including the sautéed vegetables and seared lamb.
- Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 5–6 hours.
- In the last hour of cooking, stir in rinsed barley and allow it to cook until tender.
- Remove herb stems and bay leaves before serving. Season to taste.
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