Instant Pot Braised Lamb Shanks with a Red Wine Jus

Instant Pot Braised Lamb Shanks with a Red Wine Jus sounds so fancy, right? Like a chef prepared it at a five-star restaurant. Well, good news, my recipe is so easy that you can make it in the comfort of your home!

The braised lamb shanks are so succulent and tender the meat falls right off the bone – which should take hours in the oven but will only take one hour in the Instant Pot. So you can have a luxurious entree on the table in no time.

What are Braised Lamb Shanks?

First, a lamb shank is from the bottom section of the leg, just below the knee. It is one of the most inexpensive and toughest cuts of lamb, but it is the most delicate part of meat when cooked properly. Lamb shanks must cook slowly in a liquid to become tender, which brings me to braised lamb shanks.

Braising is a simple method that involves browning meat and slowly cooking it in liquid. The meat is traditionally cooked in a covered pan on the stovetop or in the oven. Nowadays, it can also be prepared in an Instant Pot.

So braised lamb shanks are when you slowly cook the meat in (typically) a red wine sauce in a covered pot until the meat is succulent and fork tender.

What is a Red Wine Jus?

“Jus” is French for juice. When it comes to cooking, jus refers to the juices of cooked meat that reduce into a luscious sauce. In other words, “jus” is a fancy way of saying “sauce.”

A red wine jus is a classic French sauce made from the natural juices of meat and red wine. To enhance its flavor, a red wine jus can also be prepared from the cooking liquid of braising meat and reduced to the desired thickness.

Why Cook Braised Lamb Shanks in an Instant Pot?

I am usually all for the traditional cooking preparations, but as a busy mom, I need ways to quickly prepare a meal – even if it looks like it belongs in a fancy fine dining restaurant.

The beauty of an Instant Pot is how fast and easy it is to make dishes that could take all day long. Typically braising tough meat, like lamb shank, would take 12 hours in the oven, but thanks to Instant Pot, it will only take one short hour.

Enjoying Braised Lamb Shanks in Ireland

During our 7 days in Ireland, we enjoyed lamb several times. From lamb prepared three ways to Irish lamb stew and a 12-hour braised lamb shank – every lamb entree we had was delicious. 

One of my favorite lamb dishes was a 12-hour braised lamb shank with a red wine jus. The braised lamb shank was so tender the meat fell right off the bone, and the red wine jus was exquisite.

This is also one of my favorite meals because of the experience we shared with it. We spent one fantastic evening at Johnnie Fox’s, enjoying front-row seats to a traditional Irish dance show. 

Johnnie Fox’s is known for being the highest pub in Ireland, its award-winning food, and the “Hooley Show.” The show includes a spectacular dance performance, a live band playing traditional Irish music, good laughs from Irish craic, and a four-course meal. If you are in Dublin, you cannot miss this show!

So I have taken my memories of the Hooley Show and the 12-hour braised lamb shank to create my easy, 1-hour Instant Pot Braised Lamb Shank with Red Wine Jus. The only thing missing from this meal is a traditional Irish dance and craic.

List of Ingredients for Instant Pot Braised Lamb Shanks with a Red Wine Jus

All of the ingredients in this recipe are straightforward. It’s the red wine that you want to choose wisely. The better the red wine, the better the braised lamb shanks flavor, and the richer the red wine jus.

Generally, you should always pick a wine to cook with that you would want to drink. Moreover, when you serve the Instant Pot Braised Lamb Shanks with a Red Wine Jus, you can pair it with the wine cooked in the dish. You can also enjoy the wine while you cook, which is my favorite.

So what kind of red wine should you buy? Ideally, a full-bodied red will provide the most decadent result. However, as I said, you should choose a wine you like.

A full-bodied red would be a cabernet sauvignon or shiraz. If those are too bold, a popular choice is a medium-body merlot. A pinot noir is also a viable option but is a much lighter varietal.

This is a brief overview. Please refer to the full recipe description at the end of this post.

• Lamb shanks
• Yellow onion
• Carrots
• Celery
• Garlic cloves
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Tomato paste
• Beef stock
• Red wine
• Bay leaf
• Rosemary sprigs
• Thyme sprigs
• Cornstarch
• Water
• Salt
• Pepper

How to Make Instant Pot Braised Lamb Shanks with a Red Wine Jus

My Instant Pot Braised Lamb Shanks with a Red Wine Jus is easy to make and will impress everyone at the table. Typically braised lamb shanks take hours to slow cook in the oven, but with this Instant Pot recipe, you will have a rich and succulent meal in no time.

This is a brief overview. Please refer to the full recipe description at the end of this post.

Prep vegetables and lamb shank – trim the excess fat on the lamb shanks and chop the vegetables.

Brown the lamb shanks – turn the Instant Pot on SAUTE on medium or high heat (I prefer high). Add the olive oil. Season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper and add two at a time – you do not want to overcrowd the surface. Sear the lamb shanks on all sides for 3 – 5 minutes until brown. The darker (but not burnt), the better for a rich, deep-flavored sauce. Then transfer the seared lamb shanks to a plate and set aside. Repeat until all the lamb shanks are brown on all sides.

Sauté vegetables – add the vegetables and garlic clove. Sauté until the vegetables are soft and the onion is translucent. About 5 – 7 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir until the vegetables are fully coated.

Deglaze the pot – continue on SAUTE mode and add the red wine to deglaze the pot. Let it simmer for 10 minutes or until the wine reduces in half.

Add remaining ingredients – add the beef stock and herbs. Then place the seared lamb shanks back into the Instant Pot.

Cook – secure the lid and make sure the vent is set to SEALING. Select PRESSURE COOK on HIGH and set the cooking time for 60 minutes. When the cooking process is complete, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes. Then use the quick release to release the remaining pressure.

Remove – carefully remove the lamb shanks and place them on a plate. Cover the lamb shanks in the foil to stay warm and set aside. Strain the sauce into a bowl, extracting all the juice (flavor) from the veggies. Then put the strained sauce back in the pot.

Make red wine jus – turn the Instant Pot back on SAUTE. Once the sauce starts to simmer, add the cornstarch slurry. Whisk the sauce and continue to simmer until you have reached a desired consistency, usually when the sauce can coat the back of a spoon, about 5 – 10 minutes. Add the butter and whisk until the sauce is silky, shiny, and smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Serve – lamb shanks on a bed of creamy mashed potatoes and pour the red wine jus over the lamb shanks. Enjoy!

Tips and Tidbits

Here are a few tips and tidbits to prepare the Instant Pot Braised Lamb Shanks with a Red Wine Jus.

How to Trim Excess Fat on Lamb Shanks

Trimming the excess fat on lamb shanks is relatively easy, like any other meat piece. Cutting the silverskin (the white membrane on the outside of the meat) can be a little more tricky. The most important part is removing as many large fatty deposits as possible.

To remove the silverskin, use a small, sharp knife and slide the tip under the membrane – this will create a “tab.” Hold that piece tight with one hand while using the other to cut the membrane away from your body. Try only cutting the membrane and not the meat.

How to Expose the Lamb Shank Bone

When you get your lamb shanks, you are probably wondering how to expose the bones to make it look like a 5-star dish. There are two ways, one being easier than the other.

When you trim the lamb shanks, you do not need to make any cuts to expose the bone. As the lamb shanks braise in the Instant Pot, the meat will shrink toward the top of the shank, which will reveal the long bone.

Another way to expose the bone is by French trimming the lamb shank. A French trim shows more of the bone for a professional result. This is a more difficult task. So I ask a butcher at the grocery store to French trim the lamb shanks.

Either way, the Instant Pot Braised Lamb Shanks with a Red Wine Jus will be beautiful with a lovely bone.

Can I Substitute the Red Wine?

Most of the alcohol in the red wine will evaporate when you simmer it to reduce it in half. Then it will finish evaporating during the pressure cooking process. The fruit and tannins of the red wine will be the flavor of the sauce and will not taste alcoholic at all.

With that said, you can certainly substitute the red wine. I recommend replacing it with a dry non-alcoholic red wine. Even a non-alcoholic red wine will bring a depth of flavor to the sauce.

You can substitute for more beef stock if you desire, but the sauce will be less rich and bold in flavor. Even if you use low-sodium stock, it can also be salty.

More Instant Pot Recipes

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