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    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

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    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
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      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
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      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

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      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.

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      Comments

      1. Ricka G says

        November 15, 2023 at 1:27 pm

        I made this adding a cup of hulled barley (not the quicker cooking pearled), an extra cup and a half of chicken broth, and a couple of carrots cut into large chunks for a one pot meal. I also substituted winter savory (ala Richard Olney's recipe) and added more garlic. Thanks for the ideas.

        Reply
        • Mike Vrobel says

          November 15, 2023 at 1:55 pm

          You’re welcome!

          Reply
      2. Angela says

        April 04, 2023 at 6:20 pm

        Every time I make lamb shanks, I google all the recipes- without fail I come back to this recipe. It’s fail proof- and super easy. Most importantly Tastes amazing!

        Reply
        • Mike Vrobel says

          April 08, 2023 at 4:19 pm

          Thank you, I’m glad you enjoy it!

          Reply
      3. Kerri LEEDER says

        January 06, 2020 at 6:41 am

        Delicious! I added capsicum to the cooker, it was a hit. Family loved it, thanks for sharing:)

        Reply
      4. Tami says

        February 16, 2019 at 3:56 pm

        I used to go to a local Lebanese restaurant because they had the best lamb shanks they charged a fortune. This recipe beats theirs, hands down. Not only is it less expensive, but it is fall off the bone tender. They cook theirs with carrots, so I added them the second time I made the recipe. It adds a little sweetness, and complements the lamb nicely. This is now one of my favorite recipes, as well as a go to if we have company.

        Reply
      5. Sisi Cimino says

        January 25, 2019 at 1:56 pm

        Do you brown the shanks in a separate pan?

        Reply
        • Mike Vrobel says

          January 27, 2019 at 12:33 pm

          No - but I had short shanks. If your shanks are too long, you can brown them in another pan, then transfer them to the pressure cooker.

          Reply
      6. Tamra says

        November 12, 2018 at 10:00 pm

        Made this for my ex-boyfriend/roommate. I personally can't stand lamb. He made the best cooing sounds while eating it, did the dishes, and has been nice to me all week. Props!

        Reply
      7. Linn says

        October 20, 2018 at 9:34 am

        Fabulous recipe! Used quantities as directed but added only two shanks. I did add green beans as one reader suggested and they were excellent. Served over orzo. Yum!

        Reply
      8. Lisa says

        March 30, 2018 at 2:03 pm

        Going to try this soon — looks/sounds wonderful— and will follow up after I do. Question — I have an 8-quart Instant Pot; do your think I can make 1 1/2 times this recipe (6 shanks) at once? The IP is still new to me and I cannot (yet) rely on my own judgment. Thanks!

        Reply
        • Mike Vrobel says

          March 30, 2018 at 4:28 pm

          Yes, 1.5x should fit. Let me know how it goes!

          Reply
          • Lisa says

            April 09, 2018 at 11:57 am

            I ended up cooking just for 4 of us, so I did not end up increasing the yield. But last night I made this and it was incredible! Easy, delicious, and I can't even describe how amazing the entire house smelled from the moment I started to saute the aromatics. Browning the shanks took longer than I expected and I wasn't sure whether to use the default saute setting or adjust to "more;" I know many instant pots have only one setting for saute, but for people like me (not quite a novice anymore I guess, but....close!) it would be great if the directions could specify. (I ended up switching back and forth from the default setting to the "more" setting on my IP). Both kids (12 yrs old) raved, insist I make it again, and were most disappointed that there weren't enough leftovers to send them both to school with today for lunch. I removed the meat from the bones for logistical reasons (next time I will leave the shanks untouched for that impressive presentation!), and served over soft polenta. After straining the liquid/sauce, my husband and I enjoyed spooning the cooked aromatics on top of our own servings (the kids would have loved them too, but we were not feeling over-generous at that point, the flavors were that good). The combination was a bit rich for me but that would have been less of an issue if 1) I'd remembered to cook the vegetable side and 2) I'd eaten less of it, instead of getting carried away by the flavors!

            Reply
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      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.

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