Braised Lamb Shanks
Braised lamb shanks are a hearty main course of tender lamb slow-cooked with onions, carrots, celery, red wine, tinned tomatoes and balsamic vinegar. The TM7 simmers the sauce gently while you get on with other things, developing deep, rich flavours without constant supervision. Fall-off-the-bone meat in a velvety tomato-wine sauce makes an impressive Sunday dinner.
About this recipe
Braised lamb shanks with the Thermomix TM7 turn one of the most classic slow-cooked recipes into an almost hands-free experience. Lamb shanks are seared, then nestled into a rich sauce of onions, garlic, carrots, celery, red wine, tinned chopped tomatoes, balsamic vinegar and tomato purée, where low, steady simmering transforms tough collagen into spoon-soft meat. Searching for lamb shank recipes for your all-in-one kitchen machine pays off here: the TM7 chops the soffritto vegetables uniformly in seconds, mixes the tomato and wine base until evenly blended, and holds a gentle simmering temperature for a long time without scorching, something a stovetop pan rarely manages unattended. This is slow food for a relaxed Sunday dinner or a festive winter main course, when you want deep, wine-dark flavours and a sauce silky enough to spoon over mashed potatoes. The balsamic vinegar adds a subtle sweet-sour balance that makes this braise taste like it came from a bistro kitchen.
Preparation tips
- Season the lamb shanks generously and brown them well in the olive oil before braising; the caramelised crust adds enormous depth to the final wine and tomato sauce, so take your time at this stage.
- Scrape up every browned bit from the bottom of the pan after frying the shanks, as these fond particles carry intense savoury flavour that dissolves beautifully into the red wine and chopped tomatoes during simmering.
- If the sauce tastes slightly sharp from the wine and balsamic vinegar near the end, balance it with a pinch of sugar or a small knob of butter stirred through just before serving.
Recipe variations
- For an alcohol-free version, replace the red wine with an equal quantity of good beef or lamb stock plus a tablespoon of red grape juice and a splash of extra balsamic vinegar to keep the sweet-sour depth of the original braise.
- A festive winter variation adds a cinnamon stick, a strip of orange zest and a handful of soft dried prunes or apricots to the tomato-wine sauce, giving the lamb shanks a Moroccan-inspired sweetness perfect for Christmas or New Year dinners.
Thermomix TM7 Benefits
- The TM7 chops the onions, carrots and celery into an even soffritto in seconds, saving ten minutes of knife work. [Time Savings]
- By weighing the red wine and tomatoes directly in the mixing bowl, the Thermomix guarantees exact proportions for a balanced braise. [Precision Control]
- The Thermomix browns the lamb shanks and vegetables in the bowl, building a flavourful caramelised base for the sauce. [Multi-Function]
- Gentle heating keeps the tomato and wine sauce at a steady simmer so the balsamic reduction never catches or burns. [Multi-Function]
- The TM7 mixes the tomato purée, vinegar and wine into a silky, uniform sauce base before the slow simmering begins. [Multi-Function]
Ingredients
- red wine
- tinned chopped tomatoes
- balsamic vinegar
- tomato purée
- water
- beef stock cube
- fresh rosemary
- dried oregano
- lamb shanks
- onions