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Home » Main Meals » Pressure cooker lamb shanks in a rich tomato gravy

Pressure cooker lamb shanks in a rich tomato gravy

Author: VJ Published : March 2023 Updated : March 2023 / 2 people have commented

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Use your pressure cooker to prepare these lamb shanks in a rich tomato gravy in no time at all. Lamb shanks are always a popular meat choice, and cooking the vegetables in the same pot creates a delicious and hearty stew that will have everyone asking for seconds.

A lamb shank in a dish surrounded by vegetables and thick tomato gravy.

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Succulent lamb shanks

If you own a pressure cooker then this recipe for lamb shanks is definitely worth trying out. A lamb shank can be quite a tough cut of meat if it’s not cooked properly. This cut of meat comes from the bottom of the leg, just above the ankle, and because it works hard to support the lamb it contains a significant amount of muscle.

However, using a pressure cooker, lamb shanks can be cooked to perfection, resulting in succulent lamb that falls off the bone.

The lamb shanks for this recipe are cooked in a delectable gravy made with red wine and tomato until they are tender. Afterwards, the vegetables are added to the same pot and pressure cooked for a few more minutes until they become fork-tender. The gravy is then thickened to create a mouth-watering dish.

And in less than 45 minutes you’ve created a restaurant-quality dish of succulent lamb shanks in a tasty gravy, surrounded by flavourful and nutritious vegetables. What could be easier?

Of course, you don’t have to pressure cook the vegetables. You could make a dish of mashed potatoes instead, and pile the lamb onto those, along with some freshly steamed vegetables. Just don’t forget to pour copious amounts of the yummy gravy over it all though!

Two dishes of lamb shanks on a table alongside a greed salad and a dish of vegetables in gravy.

What you will need

Equipment

You will need a pressure cooker. I used my Ninja multi-cooker but you could use any pressure cooker such as this one, or even an older stovetop pressure cooker. A quick word of warning though. I find that the Ninja cooks in less time, so do consult the manufacturer’s instructions for cooking lamb shanks in your own particular model of pressure cooker.

In addition, you will need a sharp knife and a chopping board for cutting up the vegetables.

Ingredients

Unless they are very large, one lamb shank is sufficient for one person. We are 2 people at home, so I made 2. If you are feeding more people allow extra lamb, and also increase the amount of vegetables you add. I did end up with quite a bit of leftover gravy and vegetables, but it was so good I popped it into the freezer to use as a base the next time I make minestrone soup.

**You can get the complete list of ingredients and full instructions for making these pressure cooker lamb shanks on the printable recipe card at the end of this post**

Ingredients for making pressure cooker lamb shanks in a rich tomato gravy:
These are the ingredients you will need to make pressure cooker lamb shanks in a rich tomato gravy:

Lamb shanks – depending on the size you will need one lamb shank per person. Larger lamb shanks may feed 2 people.

Onions – these should be peeled, and depending on the size either halved or quartered.

Carrots and potatoes – peeled and cut into 1 to 1.5-inch pieces.

Celery – washed and cut into smallish pieces. If you have any leaves on your celery you can add some of those in as well, they are packed with flavour.

Mushrooms – firm white mushrooms or chestnuts are fine, but if you have larger portobello mushrooms you can use those too. The mushrooms should be cut in half or quarters depending on the size.

Butter – this is used for browning the lamb shanks. I’ve used butter because it adds a richness to the gravy, but you can use sunflower oil if you prefer.

Garlic – because (in my opinion) garlic always improves the flavour of lamb. You can use minced cloves of fresh garlic or for convenience you can use ready-minced garlic from a jar. And if you don’t like garlic you can leave it out altogether.

Tomato puree – you may know it as tomato paste, and it is thick concentrated tomatoes, sold either in a tube or in a tin. I prefer to buy it in a tube because I can reseal it and leave it in the refrigerator, but if you can only get it in a tin, you can pop any leftovers in a plastic bag and freeze them for another recipe.

Red wine – I like to use a full-bodied red wine like a Shiraz or a Pinotage, but it doesn’t really matter. What does matter is that you cook with wine that you would actually drink. A cheap vinegary plonk isn’t going to improve with cooking! If you don’t want to cook with wine, you can simply substitute the wine with extra stock, or you could substitute it with red grape juice.

Stock – I used vegetable stock cubes because I couldn’t find any lamb stock cubes and I didn’t want to introduce a beef flavour to the dish. You could use chicken stock cubes instead. To make the stock just dissolve the stock cube in a cup of boiling water. You could use a stock pot instead of a stock cube if you prefer.

Cornflour – this is entirely optional – I like to use a little cornflour mixed with water to thicken the gravy. You may find your gravy has thickened sufficiently (thanks to the potatoes), or you may prefer a broth-like consistency.

Salt and pepper – this is for seasoning, and to your own taste.

What to do

There’s not too much to do actually – the pressure cooker does most of the work!

Preparation

Peel and clean all the vegetables and cut them to size. Then set them aside in a bowl of cold water (apart from the mushrooms) while you get on with the lamb. Don’t put the mushrooms in the water or they will soak it up and become soggy.

Pat the lamb with a piece of paper towel to remove any moisture, then season the shanks lightly with salt and pepper.

2 lamb shanks browning in butter in the inner pot of a pressure cooker.

Melt the butter in the pressure cooker and then add the lamb shanks and brown them as best you can. They are a funny shape, so you may need to use a pair of tongs to hold them in place while they brown.

Stock, red wine and onions added to the lamb shanks.

Add the stock, red wine, tomato paste, garlic and onions.

2 almost fully-cooked lamb shanks in a pressure cooker.

Put the lid on the pressure cooker, turn the valve to ‘Seal’, set the temperature to high, and set the timer for 25 minutes. (Consult your manufacturer’s manual for your own particular model of pressure cooker).

Potatoes, carrots, celery and mushrooms added to the lamb shanks.

After 25 minutes do a quick pressure release and carefully open the lid. The lamb should have retracted back from the bone. Drain the water from the vegetables and add the vegetables into the pressure cooker. Replace the lid and reset the pressure cooker for a further 6 minutes on the high temperature setting.

Cooked lamb shanks and vegetables in gravy in a pressure cooker.

Do a quick release of pressure and open the pressure cooker.

Thicken the gravy

If you would like to thicken the gravy, use a slotted spoon to remove the lamb shanks and vegetables from the pressure cooker to a serving dish and keep warm.

Make a slurry with the cornflour and a couple of tablespoons of water and stir it into the gravy until the gravy has thickened to your liking. You may not need all the cornflour mixture.

Make sure the pressure cooker is set to the saute (or browning) function so that the cornflour can cook out.

To serve

I like to serve this dish in bowls (a bit like a stew) so that I can fit in lots of the delicious gravy.

If I’m feeling particularly hungry, I might serve it with a green salad, and perhaps a crusty bread roll to mop up every last drop.

Here are a couple of my most popular bread roll recipes you might like to try.

  • Portuguese rolls
  • German brotchen
A lamb shank on a red-rimmed plate surrounded by vegetables and gravy.

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Pressure cooker lamb shanks FAQ

Can I freeze this dish?

I’ve never had enough meat left over to freeze it. However, I often freeze any leftover gravy and add it to soups and stews.

Can I make this dish in a slow cooker?

Yes, you can make lamb shanks in a slow cooker. Brown the lamb in a frying pan then transfer it to a slow cooker along with the rest of the ingredients (except the cornflour). Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 5 to 6 hours. Thicken as per the recipe instructions.

Can I make lamb shanks in advance?

Yes, you cook this dish up to 3 days in advance and store it in a covered container in the refrigerator. When you are ready to eat it, transfer the lamb shanks, gravy and vegetables to a large saucepan, cover with a lid and heat it gently on the stove until piping hot. Alternatively, you can transfer the lamb to a casserole dish and reheat it in the oven at 180C / 360F for about 10 minutes until heated through.

Save for later

If you would like to try these lamb shanks for yourself, why not save the recipe to one of your Pinterest boards so you can find it easily? Just click on the image below.

Alternatively, you can save the recipe by clicking on the floating heart icon on the right-hand side of the screen.

Other recipes

Perhaps you’d like to try some of my other lamb recipes:

  • South African lamb bredie (lamb stew) – succulent lamb ribs and lots of vegetables in a thick rich gravy, cooked in a pressure cooker until the lamb develops a luscious melt-in-the-mouth texture.
  • Traditional Lancashire hotpot – Slow-cooked, oven-baked layers of succulent lamb, potatoes and onions, covered with a crispy potato topping. This is the ultimate in comfort food!
  • Slow cooker lamb shanks in red wine gravy – meaty lamb shanks slow-cooked to perfection in a delectable red wine gravy.
  • Tandoori lamb chops with saag aloo – lamb chops marinated in a spicy yoghurt and lemon marinade, served with a dish of curried spinach and potatoes.

The recipe

A lamb shank in a dish surrounded by vegetables and thick tomato gravy.

Pressure cooker lamb shanks in a thick tomato gravy

Use your pressure cooker to prepare these lamb shanks in a rich tomato gravy in no time at all. Lamb shanks are always a popular meat choice, and cooking the vegetables in the same pot creates a delicious and hearty stew that will have everyone asking for seconds.
Recipe by: Veronica
Main Course
British
Calories 77994
Prep 10 minutes minutes
Pressure release 5 minutes minutes
Cook 30 minutes minutes
Total Time 45 minutes minutes
Servings: 2 people
Print Pin Comment Bookmark Saved!
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5 from 2 votes

(Click the stars to rate this recipe)

Equipment

  • Ninja multi-cooker OR
  • Pressure Cooker
  • Sharp Knife
  • Chopping Board

Ingredients

  • 2 medium lamb shanks
  • 1 medium onion
  • 2 medium potatoes
  • 1 medium carrot
  • 2 stalks celery
  • 1 cup mushrooms
  • ½ cup / 120 ml red wine
  • 1 cup / 240 ml vegetable or chicken stock
  • 1 ounce / 30 grams butter
  • 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
  • 3 tablespoons tomato puree / tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon cornflour / cornstarch
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Peel and clean all the vegetables and cut the onions and mushrooms into halves or quarters; cut the carrots and potatoes into 1-inch pieces; cut the celery into ½-inch lengths.
    Set the vegetables aside in a bowl of cold water (apart from the mushrooms) while you get on with the lamb.
    1 medium onion, 2 medium potatoes, 1 medium carrot, 2 stalks celery, 1 cup mushrooms
  • Pat the lamb with a piece of paper towel to remove any moisture, then season the shanks lightly with salt and pepper.
    2 medium lamb shanks, Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Melt the butter in the pressure cooker and then add the lamb shanks and brown them as best you can. They are a funny shape, so you may need to use a pair of tongs to hold them in place while they brown.
    1 ounce / 30 grams butter
  • Add the stock, red wine, tomato paste, garlic and onions.
    ½ cup / 120 ml red wine, 1 cup / 240 ml vegetable or chicken stock, 1 teaspoon crushed garlic, 3 tablespoons tomato puree / tomato paste, 1 medium onion
  • Put the lid on the pressure cooker, turn the valve to 'Seal', set the temperature to high, and set the timer for 25 minutes. (Consult your manufacturer's manual for your own particular model of pressure cooker).
  • After 25 minutes do a quick pressure release and carefully open the lid. The lamb should have retracted back from the bone. Drain the water from the vegetables and add the vegetables into the pressure cooker. Replace the lid and reset the pressure cooker for a further 6 minutes on the high temperature setting.
  • Do a quick release of pressure and open the pressure cooker.
  • If you would like to thicken the gravy, use a slotted spoon to remove the lamb shanks and vegetables from the pressure cooker to a serving dish and keep warm.
    Make a slurry with the cornflour and a couple of tablespoons of water and stir it into the gravy until the gravy has thickened to your liking. You may not need all the cornflour mixture.
    Make sure the pressure cooker is set to the saute (or browning) function so that the cornflour can cook out.
    1 tablespoon cornflour / cornstarch
  • Serve this dish in bowls (a bit like a stew) so that you can fit in lots of the delicious gravy.
    If you are feeling particularly hungry, add a side of green salad, and perhaps a crusty bread roll.

Notes

Freeze any leftover gravy and vegetables and add it to your next soup or stew. 
Cook up to 3 days in advance and store in a covered container in the refrigerator. When you are ready to eat it, transfer the lamb shanks, gravy and vegetables to a large saucepan, cover with a lid and heat it gently on the stove until piping hot.
To make this dish in a slow cooker – Brown the lamb in a frying pan then transfer it to a slow cooker along with the rest of the ingredients (except the cornflour). Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 5 to 6 hours. Thicken as per the recipe instructions.
Nutrition may vary depending on the size of your lamb shanks.

Nutrition

Calories – 77994kcal | Carbohydrates – 50.5g | Protein – 50.6g | Fat – 38.8g | Saturated Fat – 19.8g | Cholesterol – 182mg | Sodium – 278mg | Potassium – 1383mg | Fiber – 8.4g | Sugar – 8.8g | Vitamin D – 134µg | Calcium – 64mg | Iron – 7mg

I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.

Unless otherwise stated, a cup is the standard US cup containing 240 ml. In all my recipes this cup is assumed to hold 140g of flour. For help converting other ingredients between cups, grams, ounces and other measures, see my recipe conversion calculator.
All my recipes are developed and tested at sea-level. For tips on adjusting recipes for high altitudes see my post on baking at high altitudes.
Tried this recipe?If you made this recipe I’d love it if you could leave me a comment and let me know how it went!
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Filed Under: All Recipes, Main Meals

About VJ

In my previous life, I was an IT Consultant. Now that I've swapped an office for a kitchen I have a lot more time to spend on things that interest me such as trying out new recipes. Most of my cooking is based around quick and easy meals, and you'll probably find a little South African influence creeping in due to the many years I spent there.

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Comments

  1. Debra B.

    22 March 2023 at 9:13 am

    5 stars
    Hi Veronica,

    I made your delicious gravy and vegetables, minus the meat, as a vegetarian main dish. DIVINE

    Thank you for all your hard work!

    Reply
    • VJ

      22 March 2023 at 9:33 am

      Hi Debra, I have to admit I’d never thought of making a lamb shank recipe without the lamb! That made me smile! But I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for letting me know 🙂 . Hopefully other people will be tempted to do the same 🙂

      Reply

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In my previous life, I was an IT Consultant. Now that I've swapped an office for a kitchen I have a lot more time to spend on things that interest me such as trying out new recipes. Most of my cooking is based around quick and easy meals, and you'll probably find a little South African influence creeping in due to the many years I spent there.

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