I love lamb shanks: tender, flavorful meat falling off the bone. Now, I can hear some of you out there, saying: “Lamb? It’s so gamy!” I have family members who say the same thing. This is the recipe I make when I want to change their minds. 2
Shanks need long, slow cooking to tenderize; undercook them and they’re tough and chewy. In the pressure cooker, high pressure stands in 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 dutch oven instructions.
Recipe: Pressure Cooker Lamb Shanks
Equipment
- 6 quart or larger pressure cooker (I use an Instant Pot electric pressure cooker)
- Fat separator
Pressure Cooker Lamb Shanks
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
Pressure Cooker Lamb Shanks recipe, Provencal style. Tender lamb shanks in about an hour, thanks to the pressure cooker.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 4 lamb shanks
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 large onion, minced
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup red wine
- 1 cup chicken stock (or water)
- 15 oz can diced tomatoes (with juices)
Instructions
- Sear the lamb shanks: Season the shanks with the 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 for 3 minutes per side, or until well browned, then remove to a bowl and sear the next pair of shanks.
- Saute the aromatics: Add the onion, garlic, tomato paste, and Herbes de Provence to the pot. Sprinkle with the ½ teaspoon salt. Saute for five minutes, or until the onions soften and the tomato paste is starting 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.
- Pressure cook for 35/45 minutes: Lock the lid on the pressure cooker, bring the pressure cooker up to high pressure, then cook at high pressure for 35 minutes (45 minutes for an electric pressure cooker). Remove from the heat, allow the pressure to come down naturally for 15 minutes, then quick release any pressure left in the pot.
- Defat the sauce: Remove the lamb shanks to a platter. Strain the sauce into a fat separator and let the fat float to the top, about five minutes. Pour some of the defatted sauce over the shanks, and pass the rest at the table.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine: French
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Notes
- Pressure cookers are tall and narrow, and lamb shanks have a long bone. (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. In the end they turned out fine, even with minimal browning, but if you have your choice of shanks, look for shorter bones. Also, 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.
- 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.
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, Instant Pot 7-Hour Leg of Lamb, 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.
Or, look at my Instant Pot and Pressure Cooker Recipes Index.
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Steve says
Awesome...but cheated a bit..added Red capsicum (red pepper) to the recipe for a bit more sweetness!
Steve says
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!
Roger McNair says
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.
Mike Vrobel says
Thanks for the tip!
Shubhra Aurita Roy says
This was incredible! Great for busy week nights.
thank you!
Erica says
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.
David Alston says
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.
Pkay says
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.
Mike Vrobel says
Lamb loin chops are not a good choice for pressure cooking - they are too lean. Roast them or grill them instead.
Eva W. says
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.
Sue says
Yum. Pinned to try it out.
Cynthia says
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?
Mike V says
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.
Bridget says
Super delicious! Thanks, Mike!
Di says
Delilsh! I did lick the dish ????
Mike V says
Thank you!
George says
Tried this last night. WOW!!!! Absolutely delicious!!! This is now my favorite lamb shank recipe. Thank you, Mike!
Mike V says
Excellent! I'm glad you enjoyed it. I can't wait to make it again myself.
Aaron Friedman says
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.
Mike V says
Thanks for the tip! I'll add that to my list of recipes to try.
Michelle C. says
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.