Pomegranate Lamb Shanks (Slow Cooker)

Recipe: Lamb Shanks Recipe »

These divine lamb shanks are perfect for a delicious Easter lunch or Autumn or Winter dinner. Lamb shanks are braised until buttery tender in a rich pomegranate sauce in the slow cooker, pressure cooker or oven and while it cooks the sauce thickens to absolute perfection! This is a great make ahead recipe that also freezes well.

These pomegranate lamb shanks are perfect for Autumn because pomegranates are in season and the chillier weather calls for something luscious with a delectable gravy. Pomegranates are like lemon in that they give the rich lamb a nice, fresh light tartness. I also find that lamb shanks are also perfect for entertaining because one shank is the perfect serving size for guests and they can be cooked ahead of time and just finished on the day. And you don't even make the do anything to make a delicious gravy or sauce, it all happens in the slow cooker!

Tips For Making Slow Cooker Lamb Shanks

1 - Lamb shanks really differ in size. The first time I made them I used 6 lamb shanks as they were trimmed (see above) and the second time I used 4 untrimmed ones. I do think 4 larger lamb shanks suits slow cooking a bit better as the bones can be a bit of a pain to fit in a cooker. Also you want the meat to cook in the sauce and having 6 means that you do have to move them about a bit.

2 - These lamb shanks can easily be done in the Instant Pot as you can saute them first and then slow cook them. I do find that the saute temperature is a bit lower than what I brown them in in the frying pan so they took a bit longer to brown, but just by a few minutes.

3 - If you are short on time you can cook these in the slow cooker on high for 6 hours instead of low for 8 hours. Slow cookers usually cook on high at around 100°C/205°F to 149°C/300°F towards the end. They cook at low at between 77°C/170°F to 87°C/190°F.

4 - If you want to cook these lamb shanks in the pressure cooker then cook them for 50-60 minutes.

5 - If you want to cook these in the oven they will cook in a Dutch oven pot with lid on for 3-4 hours in a 180C/350F oven.

6 - The pomegranate juice that I use doesn't contain any added sugar but if you only have pomegranate nectar, then you may not need as much honey.

7 - Pomegranate molasses is pomegranate juice that has been boiled down so that it is tart but syrupy. It is now available at the supermarket. If you are unable to find it, you can also try balsamic vinegar or a mixture of honey and lemon. It should still be tart but have a viscous texture. Just make sure to taste the sauce once cooked and adjust seasoning as it may need more honey or salt.

8 - If you want to make this a few days ahead of time, cook the lamb shanks for 5 hours on high or 7 hours on low and then refrigerate or freeze. Then finish them off for the final hour in the sauce before you want to eat them.

But other than that, it's so easy. After you brown the shanks and mix the sauce you just let the slow cooker do its work! That's my favourite part of entertaining and serving these lamb shanks.

• What Side Dishes To Serve With These Lamb Shanks
• The Best Mashed Potato
• Sweet Potato Mash
• Rocket Arugula Pear Salad
• Roast Hispi Cabbage
• Parsnip Puree

Lamb Shanks

An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes plus 6-8 hours

• 1.6kgs/3.5lbs lamb shanks (around 4-6)
• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1-2 tablespoons of oil
• 2 white or brown onions
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled
• 4 tablespoons plain all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 cups/500ml pomegranate juice
• 125g/4ozs pomegranate molasses
• 1/2 cup/125ml/4flozs chicken broth
• 60g/2ozs honey (or to taste) can also use brown sugar
• 4 sprigs rosemary
• Salt and pepper for seasoning
• Pomegranate arils for serving

Step 1 - Season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper. Set the instant pot to saute for 20 minutes or place a frypan on medium heat and sear lamb shanks for 5 minutes on each side. Add the spices (turmeric, coriander, cumin, cinnamon) and fry in the oil still in the pan. Then add 1-2 tablespoons of oil and add the onions and garlic and sauté until softened. Add flour and cook for 30 seconds.

Step 2 - Then add the tomato paste, salt, pomegranate juice, pomegranate molasses, chicken broth, rosemary and honey. Change to slow cooker setting to high heat for 6 hours or low heat for 8 hours. Then lamb should be very soft and want to fall off the bone. Gently remove the lamb shanks from the sauce and place on a serving plate and decorate with pomegranate arils. If the sauce is thick enough for your liking serve as is. Otherwise if you want it thicker, set to sauté and simmer until the sauce has reduce to desired texture.

I'm not really loving how daylight savings has ended and how it gets so dark so early nowadays. I'm counting down the weeks until it starts again which admittedly is silly given how long we have and is 5 long months away! The only good thing is wearing boots and coats and slow braises like this.

We were walking Teddy and Milo in our neighbourhood at 5pm one day and it was getting dark but wasn't completely dark yet. We had these lamb shanks going in the slow cooker and I had made this cauliflower mash ready to serve (will share this recipe soon, it's so good!). We all had more layers on and I couldn't wait to come home and eat this.

"Is that a new house?" I said to Mr NQN pointing at a house that I swear I had never seen before. We have done this walk hundreds of times and the house was completely new to me. "No, it has been there forever," he said and I had to agree, it looked like a really old house. But how was it possible that I had never really seen it before? And while logic tells me that it has been there the entire time, I could have sworn it was new! I'm using the excuse that it was getting dark ;)

So tell me Dear Reader, do you ever walk around your neighbourhood and see "new" houses? What are your favourite things about autumn and winter?