What Are Lamb shanks and How Can I Use Them?

Here's everything worth knowing about lamb shanks and how to pick them, what they are, how to store them, and what to use instead, plus 18 recipes to cook tonight.

Key Points

Tough, collagen-rich cut from the lower leg that turns silky and tender with slow braising.
Brown the shanks hard first, then braise 2 to 2½ hours until the meat slips off the bone.
One shank per person; veal or beef shanks are the closest swaps.
Pairs with red wine, tomato, garlic, rosemary, and warm spices over polenta or beans.
Skim the rendered fat, or chill overnight and lift the firm cap before reheating.

What are lamb shanks?

A lamb shank is the lower portion of the leg, the section just above the hoof on the front or hind quarter. It is tough, sinewy meat wrapped around a single bone, and that toughness is exactly the point.

Shanks are dense with connective tissue and collagen. Cook them slowly and that collagen melts into gelatin, leaving meat that slides off the bone and a sauce with real body.

This is a cheap, humble cut that eats like a luxury once you treat it right. One shank is a generous single serving, so plan on buying one per person.

Cooking Lamb Shanks

Shanks reward one method above all others: a long, low braise. Brown them hard on every side first, in a heavy pot with a little oil, until they are deeply colored.

Do not skip the browning. It is the most common mistake, and it costs you the savory depth that the browned surface builds into the finished sauce.

After browning, set the shanks aside and build a base in the same pot. Soften a mix of chopped onion and carrot with a rib of celery, then stir in a little tomato and garlic.

Add a splash of wine to scrape up the browned bits. Return the shanks, pour in enough stock or wine to come partway up the meat, then cover and let them go low and slow.

Give them at least 2 to 2½ hours at a bare simmer, or around 325°F (160°C) in the oven, until a fork twists the meat away from the bone with no resistance. Rushing it at a hard boil leaves the meat stringy and tight.

The slow cooker handles shanks beautifully too, running 7 to 8 hours on low. That is the approach in Slow Cooker Lamb Shanks with Split Peas.

For osso buco style results with the bone standing upright, stand the shanks in the pot rather than laying them flat. Bob's Braised Lamb Shanks and Mediterranean Braised Lamb Shanks both lean on this slow-braise approach.

Flavor and Pairing

Lamb is rich and faintly gamey, so it wants assertive, acidic, aromatic company to keep it from feeling heavy. Red wine and tomato build the base, and a long roster of herbs earns a place on top: rosemary and thyme are classic, with mint and bay rounding things out.

Garlic belongs here in quantity. Warm spices push the dish in other directions, too.

A pinch of cinnamon with cumin and coriander turns a braise Moroccan or Middle Eastern, the way Herb Marinated Braised Lamb Shanks builds its character. Preserved lemon and harissa flatter the meat, and a handful of dried apricots adds a sweet counterpoint.

Serve shanks over something that soaks up the sauce. Creamy polenta or mashed potatoes makes a natural bed, and buttered egg noodles work just as well. Beans and lentils are a traditional match too, simmering right alongside the meat in dishes like Lamb Shanks with Lentils.

The one thing to watch is fat. Shanks render plenty during a long braise, so skim the surface before serving, or chill the braise overnight and lift off the firm cap of fat the next day. The flavor only improves on the second day.

Substitutes

If you can't get lamb shanks, the closest swap is veal shanks, the cut used for classic osso buco. They behave almost identically: same collagen-rich structure, same long braise, just a milder flavor.

Beef shanks work the same way and feed more people, though they need a bit longer to break down.

For the lamb flavor without the shank, a boneless lamb shoulder cut into large chunks braises into a similar tender, rich stew. That is how many lamb soups and stews are built.

Oxtail is another collagen-heavy braising cut that gives the same silky sauce. None of these are quick swaps, since the whole point of the cut is slow cooking.

Buying and Storing Lamb Shanks

Look for shanks with a good amount of meat around the bone and a fresh, deep pink-red color, no gray patches or sour smell. Hind shanks are meatier and rounder, front shanks a little smaller, and either works for braising.

Ask the butcher to trim the heavy outer membrane if it is still on, since it can stay tough. Plan on one shank per person for a hearty meal, more if your eaters are big.

Store fresh shanks in the coldest part of the fridge and cook within 2 to 3 days, or freeze for up to 4 to 6 months wrapped tightly against air. Thaw frozen shanks in the fridge overnight, never on the counter.

Braised shanks keep 3 to 4 days refrigerated and reheat gently in their sauce. Cooking them a day ahead is one of the great advantages of this cut.