DadCooksDinner

  • Home
  • Rotisserie
  • Recipes
  • Tools
  • Books
  • Merch
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Books
  • Tools
  • Merch
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Books
    • Tools
    • Merch
    • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Pressure cooker

    Instant Pot Lamb Shanks

    Published: Apr 15, 2025 by Mike Vrobel · This post may contain affiliate links · 34 Comments

    Jump to Recipe
    An Instant Pot Lamb shank on a plate with green beans and couscous

    Instant Pot Lamb Shanks recipe, Provencal style with garlic, tomatoes, and Herbes de Provence. Thanks to pressure cooking, you can have tender lamb shanks in about an hour.

    An Instant Pot Lamb shank on a plate with green beans and couscous

    Would you like to save this recipe?

    We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!

    Jump to:
    • Equipment
    • Ingredients
    • How to make Instant Pot Lamb Shanks
    • Tips and Tricks
    • Instant Pot Lamb Shanks Recipe
    • What do you think?
    • Related Posts
    • 💬 Comments

    I love lamb shanks: tender, flavorful meat that falls off the bone. Now, I can hear some of you out there saying, "Lamb? It's so gamey!" I have family members who say the same thing. This is the recipe I make when I want to change their minds.
    Shanks need long, slow cooking to tenderize; undercook them, and they're tough and chewy. In the pressure cooker, high pressure substitutes for the long cooking time. 45 minutes under pressure, plus a 15-minute natural pressure release, replaces three to four hours of gentle simmering. This is why I love pressure cooking, even when it doesn't give me a 30-minute meal—in this case, I can squeeze an all-day recipe down to a little over an hour.
    No pressure cooker? No worries. See the notes section for instructions on the stovetop.

    Equipment

    • 6 quart or larger pressure cooker (I use an Instant Pot electric pressure cooker)
    • Fat separator

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
    • 4 lamb shanks
    • 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
    • 1 large onion, minced
    • 4 cloves garlic, crushed
    • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
    • 1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
    • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
    • ½ cup red wine
    • 1 cup chicken broth (or water)
    • 15 oz can diced tomatoes (with juices)

    How to make Instant Pot Lamb Shanks

    Browning the lamb shanks in the Instant Pot

    Brown the lamb shanks on one side in two batches

    Season the shanks with the 2 teaspoons of salt. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in an Instant Pot set to Sauté mode - high until the oil is shimmering (use medium-high heat in a stovetop pressure cooker). Set two of the shanks in the pot, meaty side down, and sear until well browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Move the seared shanks to a bowl. Add the remaining two shanks, sear until well browned (about 3 more minutes), and then add to the bowl of shanks.

    Sautéing the aromatics

    Sauté the aromatics

    Add the onion, garlic, tomato paste, and Herbes de Provence to the pot. Sprinkle with the ½ teaspoon salt. Sauté for five minutes, or until the onions soften and the tomato paste begins to brown. 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 chicken stock and tomatoes, then add the lamb shanks and any lamb juices from the bowl. Push the lamb shanks into the liquid as much as possible.

    Everything in the pot

    Pressure cook for 45 minutes with a Natural Release

    Lock the lid on the pot. Pressure cook at high pressure for 45 minutes in an Instant Pot or other electric PC or for 35 minutes in a stovetop PC. (Use Manual, Pressure Cook, or Pressure Cook custom mode in an Instant Pot.) Let the pressure come down naturally, about 25 minutes. (If you're in a hurry, you can quick-release any remaining pressure after 15 minutes.)

    Sauce the shanks and serve

    Unlock the pressure cooker, tilting the lid away from you to avoid any hot steam. Remove the lamb shanks to a platter, and ladle some of the pot liquid over the shanks. Serve, passing the rest of the pot liquid as a sauce at the table. Enjoy!

      Tips and Tricks

      • Browning on one side: Browning the shanks adds extra flavor. Browned meat tastes better, and the little browned bits that stick to the bottom of the pot dissolve in the pot liquid and add extra flavor to the sauce. To save time, I only brown my shanks on one side. (This is a pressure cooking recipe, and speed is why I use my pressure cooker.) If you're in a hurry, you can skip the browning, but the recipe won't quite be as full-flavored. If you want extra flavor, brown the shanks on two sides before moving on to the onions.
      • Get shanks that fit the pot:- Pressure cookers are tall and narrow, and lamb shanks have a long bone. (This is kind of the point of the whole shank thing, after all.) The lamb shanks I got for testing this recipe were too long for my pressure cooker pot; I had a rough time getting them browned because they wouldn't fit flat in the bottom of my 6-quart Instant Pot. In the end, they turned out fine, even with uneven browning, but if you have your choice of shanks, look for shorter bones.
      • Or, use a big Instant Pot to fit the bones: If you have a larger Instant Pot, like the 8-quart Instant Pot or 7-quart Wide Instant Pot, use it. The extra width makes it easier to fit the bones in the pot.
      • Max Fill: Don't worry if the bones are poking up past the "max fill" line when you're ready to cook - just make sure the liquid is below the line, and the lid will close.
      • Leftovers: Leftover lamb shanks taste great, but are hard to store. I shred the meat, discard the bone, and put the shredded meat in 2-cup storage containers.
      • No pressure cooker? No worries. Use a Dutch oven with a heavy lid, and follow the instructions as written. When you get to the "lock the lid" part, add enough chicken stock or water to cover ¾ of the lamb shanks. Put the lid on the pot, bring the pot to a simmer, then move the pot to a preheated 350°F oven for three to four hours, until the lamb shanks are tender and falling off the bone. Continue with the "defat the sauce" step.
      Print
      clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
      An Instant Pot Lamb shank on a plate with green beans and couscous

      Instant Pot Lamb Shanks Recipe


      5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

      5 from 7 reviews

      • Author: Mike Vrobel
      • Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
      • Yield: 4 1x
      Print Recipe
      Pin Recipe

      Description

      Instant Pot Lamb Shanks, Provencal style. Tender lamb shanks in about an hour, thanks to the pressure cooker.


      Ingredients

      Scale
      • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
      • 4 lamb shanks
      • 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
      • 1 large onion, minced
      • 4 cloves garlic, crushed
      • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
      • 1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
      • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
      • ½ cup red wine
      • 1 cup chicken broth (or water)
      • 15 oz can diced tomatoes (with juices)

      Instructions

      1. Brown the lamb shanks on one side in two batches: Season the shanks with the 2 teaspoons of salt. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in an Instant Pot set to Sauté mode - high until the oil is shimmering (use medium-high heat in a stovetop pressure cooker). Set two of the shanks in the pot, meaty side down, and sear until well browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Move the seared shanks to a bowl. Add the remaining two shanks, sear until well browned (about 3 more minutes), and then add to the bowl of shanks.
      2. Sauté the aromatics: Add the onion, garlic, tomato paste, and Herbes de Provence to the pot. Sprinkle with the ½ teaspoon salt. Sauté for five minutes, or until the onions soften and the tomato paste begins to brown. 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 chicken stock and tomatoes, then add the lamb shanks and any lamb juices from the bowl. Push the lamb shanks into the liquid as much as possible.
      3. Pressure cook for 45 minutes with a Natural Release: Lock the lid on the pot. Pressure cook at high pressure for 45 minutes in an Instant Pot or other electric PC or for 35 minutes in a stovetop PC. (Use Manual, Pressure Cook, or Pressure Cook custom mode in an Instant Pot.) Let the pressure come down naturally, about 25 minutes. (If you're in a hurry, you can quick-release any remaining pressure after 15 minutes.)
      4. Sauce the shanks and serve: Unlock the pressure cooker, tilting the lid away from you to avoid any hot steam. Remove the lamb shanks to a platter, and ladle some of the pot liquid over the shanks. Serve, passing the rest of the pot liquid as a sauce at the table. Enjoy!

      Equipment

      8-Quart Instant Pot

      Buy Now →
      • Prep Time: 10 minutes
      • Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
      • Category: Pressure Cooker
      • Cuisine: French

      Would you like to save this recipe?

      We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!

      Did you make this recipe?

      Tag @DadCooksDinner on Instagram and hashtag it #DadCooksDinner

      What do you think?

      Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

      Related Posts

      Looking for some other Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker Lamb? Try Pressure Cooker Lamb Stew with Guiness and Barley or Instant Pot 7-Hour Leg of Lamb. For other lamb shank flavors, try Instant Pot Irish Lamb Shanks, Pressure Cooker Greek Lamb Shanks with Tomatoes, Instant Pot Moroccan Lamb Shanks, or Pressure Cooker Persian Lamb Shanks with Eggplant and Tomatoes (Khoresht Bademjan). For other pressure cooker braises, try Pressure Cooker Beef Shank (Osso Bucco), Instant Pot Goat Curry, or Instant Pot Jamaican Beef Curry.
      If you want something else, here is my Instant Pot and Pressure Cooker Recipes Index.

      Enjoyed this post? Want to help out DadCooksDinner? Subscribe to DadCooksDinner via eMail or RSS reader, recommend DadCooksDinner to your friends, and buy something from Amazon.com through the links on this site. Thank you.

      Subscribe
      BirdSend Email Marketing Tool

      More Pressure cooker

      • A plate of Instant Pot Jerk Ribs with green onions sprinkled on top
        Instant Pot Jerk Ribs
      • Frito pie in a Fritos bag topped with onions
        Instant Pot Frito Pie
      • A plate of Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore
        Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore
      • Pressure Cooker Beef Stew

      Sharing is caring!

      Comments

      1. Steve says

        February 08, 2018 at 4:40 am

        Awesome...but cheated a bit..added Red capsicum (red pepper) to the recipe for a bit more sweetness!

        Reply
      2. Steve says

        February 08, 2018 at 4:36 am

        Awesome result..thanks..not a Dad but that didnt matter..Used my Raco pressure cooker on an induction cooking surface..Able to safely now that the temperature was accurate. ..Have done shanks before in a slow cooker..but using a pressure cooker sure does beat that as it rams the flavour into the meat..Thanks very much!

        Reply
      3. Roger McNair says

        October 11, 2017 at 7:53 pm

        I have yet to make this recipe; I just want to mention that most butchers, even in the large stores, will crack the shank bones for you. And that will make them easier to fit in the pot.

        Reply
        • Mike Vrobel says

          October 11, 2017 at 8:05 pm

          Thanks for the tip!

          Reply
      4. Shubhra Aurita Roy says

        October 02, 2017 at 5:31 pm

        This was incredible! Great for busy week nights.
        thank you!

        Reply
      5. Erica says

        April 17, 2017 at 7:40 am

        Excellent result! I cooked 3 lamb shanks (1.2kgs total weight) in a 5 quart pressure cooker and left the rest of the ingredients the same as the recipe and the same cooking time.
        The meat fell off the bones which was a bonus so I could make smaller servings and have some leftovers!
        The sauce was so tasty I had to make an effort not to keep on eating it!
        I'm looking forward to trying the Persian lamb recipe.
        thanks for your website.

        Reply
      6. David Alston says

        April 16, 2017 at 6:18 pm

        A good receipe. I thickened the liquid for serving and added a little Anji Marin (sweet rice wine) to counteract some bitterness in the herbs. Timing was right on.

        Reply
      7. Pkay says

        April 14, 2017 at 7:16 pm

        Hi Mike, i am wondering if the same amount of time applies to 2 inch thick lamb loin chops, i have instant pot pressure cooker. Thanks.

        Reply
        • Mike Vrobel says

          April 14, 2017 at 7:27 pm

          Lamb loin chops are not a good choice for pressure cooking - they are too lean. Roast them or grill them instead.

          Reply
      8. Eva W. says

        March 26, 2017 at 6:21 pm

        Just finished making this recipe in my electric pressure cooker and WOW was it say, quick and delicious. I'd neve made lamb shanks before and had been unsure because I knew they could be tough. These were great; very tender. The sauce was also great. Will make this again.

        Reply
      9. Sue says

        July 21, 2016 at 5:47 am

        Yum. Pinned to try it out.

        Reply
      10. Cynthia says

        July 18, 2016 at 5:46 pm

        One thing that trips me up about the pressure cooker is adjusting recipe size. If I have 2 shanks instead of 4, do I do less time?

        Reply
        • Mike V says

          July 18, 2016 at 6:31 pm

          No, same time. The cooking time is based cooking a shank through; more or less shanks won't change the time it takes to cook each shank.

          Reply
      11. Bridget says

        April 16, 2016 at 7:45 pm

        Super delicious! Thanks, Mike!

        Reply
      12. Di says

        October 01, 2015 at 3:47 pm

        Delilsh! I did lick the dish ????

        Reply
        • Mike V says

          October 01, 2015 at 4:26 pm

          Thank you!

          Reply
      13. George says

        March 06, 2015 at 6:20 am

        Tried this last night. WOW!!!! Absolutely delicious!!! This is now my favorite lamb shank recipe. Thank you, Mike!

        Reply
        • Mike V says

          March 06, 2015 at 6:34 am

          Excellent! I'm glad you enjoyed it. I can't wait to make it again myself.

          Reply
      14. Aaron Friedman says

        February 21, 2015 at 11:26 am

        Have you ever tried youvetsi? You braise the lamb shanks then throw in orzo near the end to soak up all the drippings. It's really good.

        Reply
        • Mike V says

          February 21, 2015 at 11:38 am

          Thanks for the tip! I'll add that to my list of recipes to try.

          Reply
      15. Michelle C. says

        February 19, 2015 at 9:33 am

        I've found an overnight brine with kosher salt and buttermilk (salt the shanks then put in a container or zip bag and cover with buttermilk) really tones down the gaminess of lamb. I even use it for chops if they're the thick-cut ones. Just rinse and pat the shanks (or chops) dry before you proceed with a recipe.

        Reply
      Newer Comments »

      Questions? Made the Recipe? Leave a Comment Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

      Welcome to Dad Cooks Dinner!

      I'm Mike Vrobel, a dad who cooks dinner every night. I'm an enthusiastic home cook, and I write about pressure cooking, rotisserie grilling, and other food topics that grab my attention.

      More About Me →

      Popular

      • Three bowls of cooked Pinto Beans on a wood table
        Instant Pot Pinto Beans (No Soaking)
      • Pressure Cooker Beef Shank (Osso Bucco)
      • Pressure Cooker 7 Hour Leg of Lamb (in 90 minutes)
        Pressure Cooker 7 Hour Leg of Lamb (in 90 minutes)
      • Pressure Cooker Brown Jasmine Rice
      • Grilled Tomahawk Steak (Long Bone Ribeye, Reverse Seared)
        Grilled Tomahawk Steak (Long Bone Ribeye, Reverse Seared)
      • A green bowl full of chicken noodle soup
        Instant Pot Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup

      Seasonal

      • A bowl of asparagus risotto
        Instant Pot Asparagus Risotto (Pressure Cooker Recipe)
      • Grilled Butterflied Chicken with Garlic Butter
      • Sous Vide Rack of Lamb with Dijon Bread Crumb Crust
      • A bowl of beef stew with asparagus, carrots, and radishes.
        Instant Pot Spring Vegetable Beef Stew
      • A Rotisserie Chicken (Pollo Asado)on a platter of shredded cabbage
        Rotisserie Chicken Pollo Asado
      • Rotisserie Pork Shoulder Roast with Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce
        Rotisserie Pork Shoulder with South Carolina Mustard Barbecue Sauce

      Footer

      ↑ back to top

      About

      • Privacy Policy

      Newsletter

      • Sign Up! for emails and updates

      Contact

      • Contact

      Copyright © 2025 Dad Cooks Dinner

      847 shares
      • 281
      • 3