Slow-Cooked Lamb Shanks with Damper Crust

By AislePrompt Test Kitchen · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-26 · Updated 2026-05-26

Succulent lamb shanks braised slowly in red wine and native herbs, served with a fluffy traditional Australian damper bread crust. This australian-inspired lamb ready in about 220 minutes pairs (about 3 lbs total) lamb shanks, olive oil, medium carrots, chopped for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 700 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

• 4 (about 3 lbs total) lamb shanks
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cups red wine
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 tbsp lemon myrtle leaves, crushed
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 1/4 cups cold water
• 1 tsp salt (for damper)
• 2 tbsp butter, melted

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Add 4 lamb shanks and brown on all sides for 8-10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
2. Step 2: Add 2 chopped carrots, 2 chopped celery stalks, 1 large chopped onion, and 4 minced garlic cloves to the pot. Sauté for 5-6 minutes until softened and fragrant.
3. Step 3: Stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, then pour in 2 cups red wine, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Add 2 cups beef broth, 1 tbsp crushed lemon myrtle leaves, 2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp black pepper. Return lamb shanks to the pot.
4. Step 4: Cover and transfer to the oven. Braise for 3 hours until lamb is fall-apart tender.
5. Step 5: While lamb cooks, prepare the damper bread by mixing 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, and 1 tsp salt in a bowl. Gradually add 1 1/4 cups cold water, stirring until a soft dough forms.
6. Step 6: Shape the dough into a round loaf on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the top with 2 tbsp melted butter.
7. Step 7: Bake damper bread in the oven alongside lamb for the last 45 minutes until golden and cooked through.
8. Step 8: Serve the braised lamb shanks hot with the freshly baked damper bread to soak up the rich juices.