Native English Lamb Shank

By AislePrompt Test Kitchen · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-02 · Updated 2026-04-02

A traditional British braised dish featuring fall-off-the-bone lamb shanks in a herb-infused broth with root vegetables, honoring England's culinary heritage. This british-inspired one pot ready in about 200 minutes pairs lamb shanks, all-purpose flour, olive oil for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 420 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1.2kg lamb shanks
• 30g all-purpose flour
• 30ml olive oil
• 1 large onion
• 2 carrots
• 2 parsnips
• 3 cloves garlic
• 150ml red wine
• 950ml beef broth
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 200g pearl onions
• 10g cornstarch
• 30ml cold water

Instructions

1. Step 1: Pat 1.2kg lamb shanks dry, then coat evenly with 30g all-purpose flour, 1g salt, and 0.5g black pepper.
2. Step 2: Heat 30ml olive oil in a large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Sear shanks for 4 minutes per side until deeply browned, removing as they brown.
3. Step 3: Add chopped 1 large onion, 2 peeled carrots, and 2 peeled parsnips to pot. Cook for 7 minutes until softened. Add minced 3 garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Step 4: Stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, then deglaze pot with 150ml red wine, scraping up browned bits.
5. Step 5: Return shanks to pot, add 950ml beef broth, 4 fresh thyme sprigs, and 2 bay leaves. Bring to a simmer, cover, and transfer to 160°C oven. Braise for 3 hours until meat is tender.
6. Step 6: Remove shanks, strain cooking liquid into bowl, discarding solids. Skim excess fat from surface.
7. Step 7: Return liquid to pot, add 200g pearl onions, and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in 10g cornstarch mixed with 30ml cold water to thicken to gravy consistency. Return shanks to pot to heat through.