In my mind, I'm a culinary vagabond, traveling the world for exotic ingredients and new flavors. In reality...not so much. I'm a dad who lives in the suburbs, with a loving wife, three kids, and a day job. I don't get to travel that much. I live out my travel fantasies with local ethnic eateries and food fests. I love getting a taste of a faraway land without leaving town.
I go to the Greek festival at Akron's Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church every September. One of their specialties are Lamb shanks. They only serve them on Saturdays, they sell out quick, and I never make it before they're gone.1
This year, as I stood in line on Thursday night, the "Lamb Shanks! Saturday only!" poster was taunting me - my schedule was booked on Saturday, and there was no way I could make it back. I decided to make my own Greek lamb shanks for sunday dinner. Opa!
(Serve these shanks with Orzo pilaf, pita bread, and a Greek salad.)
Equipment
- 6 quart or larger pressure cooker (I love my Instant Pot Electric PC)
Pressure Cooker Greek Lamb Shanks with Tomatoes (Arnaki Kokkinisto)
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 lamb shanks 1x
Description
Pressure Cooker Greek Lamb Shanks with Tomatoes (Arnaki Kokkinisto). Greek lamb shanks from the pressure cooker. Opa!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (greek olive oil is authentic, but expensive)
- 4 lamb shanks
- 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 large onion, minced
- 1 stalk of celery, minced
- 1 carrot, peeled and minced
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ½ cup red wine
- 1 cup water (or chicken stock)
- 15- to 16-ounce can crushed tomatoes
Instructions
- Sear the lamb shanks: Season the shanks with 2 teaspoons of salt. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium-high heat in the pressure cooker pot until shimmering. Brown the shanks in 2 batches, 2 shanks at a time. Sear the shanks until browned, about 3 minutes a side, then move to a bowl and sear the next pair of shanks.
- Sauté the aromatics: Add the onion, celery, carrot, garlic, and tomato paste to the pot. Sprinkle with the oregano, thyme, cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon salt. Sauté for five minutes, or until the onions soften. Add the wine to the pot, bring to a simmer, and scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits. Stir in the water, then add the lamb shanks and any lamb juices from the bowl. Push the lamb shanks into the liquid as much as possible, then pour the crushed tomatoes over the top.
- Pressure cook for 45 minutes: Lock the lid and pressure cook at high pressure for 45 minutes in an electric pressure cooker, 35 minutes in a stovetop cooker. Let the pressure to come down naturally, about 20 minutes.
- Serve: Remove the lamb shanks to a platter. Use the liquid in the pot as the sauce - pour a little over the shanks, then pass the rest of the sauce at the table.
Notes
Look for short lamb shanks. Longer shanks are hard to fit in the pot of the pressure cooker. This is where having a big pressure cooker can be an advantage - these shanks just barely fit in my 6 quart pressure cooker. If I used my 8 quart, they would have fit easily. But…the video was already rolling.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine: Greek
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Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 lamb shank
What do you think?
Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.
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My other Pressure Cooker Recipes
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DYLAN GRISE says
Question: if we are only doing two shanks, how is the cook time affected if at all? Thanks.
Mike Vrobel says
The cooking time is not affected, each shank takes roughly the same amount of time to cook through.
Laura Dunn says
Delicious and easy to make! We raise market lambs so always looking for good recipes. And at 90 plus degrees here, it was nice not having to heat up the house braising lamb shanks!
Mike Vrobel says
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Edgar Michael Sandulo says
i put a sliced lemon on it in the insta pot and kalamata olives..... made for one of the best instapot meals yet
Harriet L. says
Arnaki kai fasolakia - my favourite way to do Greek lamb shanks. Put some fresh green beens in the Instant Pot with the lamb shanks. I don’t use wine in this dish, but I’m sure you could. I do add some lemon juice. Otherwise pretty much the same as the recipe here. Sometimes I serve it with orzo, sometimes with crusty bread.
Luana says
Made today and only modifications were only 2 shanks and I had canned diced tomatoes. Added orzo to the sauce. We enjoyed. How can I post a picture?
Mike Vrobel says
Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed it! Unfortunately, my website doesn’t allow pictures in the comments.
Gayle says
Do you add Cornstarch or anything to the sauce to make it thicker?
Mike Vrobel says
No, but you can if you want to - pressure cooker sauces come out thin. Make a cornstarch slurry and mix it in at the end.
Edgar Michael Sandulo says
i just reduce the sauce, less gravy like
Aaron Friedman says
Have you ever tried youvetsi? It's very similar except that the the orzo is cooked in the braising liquid at the end. We get it every year at the Greek Festival. I've also made it with good results.
Mike V says
Ooh! I'll have to try that - sounds delicious.