Artificial Flavors Free Crockpot Herb-Braised Lamb Shanks
Few things hit as deeply as lamb that has spent hours going low and slow until it practically falls off the bone on its own. This braise builds serious depth from real, whole ingredients — pomegranate juice, apple cider vinegar, bone broth, and coconut aminos create a braising liquid that is rich, slightly tangy, and faintly sweet without a drop of anything synthetic. Fresh thyme and rosemary do the heavy lifting on the herbal side, while ground turmeric, ginger, and Ceylon cinnamon layer in warmth that feels complex but comes entirely from your spice rack. Searing the shanks first in coconut oil is the move that locks in that gorgeous crust and gives the whole dish its backbone before the slow cooker even turns on. Chunky carrots, parsnips, and sweet potato soak up the braising liquid as everything cooks, turning tender and deeply savory alongside the meat. When you're trying to avoid artificial flavors, slow-cooked dishes like this can be a minefield of store-bought shortcuts — this one sidesteps all of that by leaning on ingredients that are genuinely clean from start to finish. Ladle it into wide bowls with a spoonful of that glossy broth and a scatter of fresh parsley, and it looks and tastes like something that took far more effort than it did.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 4 bone-in lamb shanks (about 1 lb each)
- 1 ½ tsp fine sea salt, divided
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- 3 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 medium parsnips, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 cup pomegranate juice
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups bone broth
- 2 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ceylon cinnamon
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
For serving
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Pat the lamb shanks completely dry with paper towels and season all over with 1 tsp of the salt.
- 2
Heat the coconut oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the lamb shanks in a single layer — work in two batches if needed to avoid crowding — and sear undisturbed for 3–4 minutes per side until deeply browned on all surfaces. Transfer the seared shanks to the slow cooker.
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