I'm used to leg or rib when I can afford lamb, myself. And then, roasting would be the norm. So, the shank is tougher, and needs to be cooked down more? Thank you!
E- I will not suggest the mallet, but the slow and low should be great. A lot of people have slow cookers, on account of many jobs, and know how to cook a sexy pork butt. I can translate the recipe to that.
Lamb shanks
love a slow cooker. And a dutch oven will also work if there's no electric slow cooker.
I've done variations of the recipe below in a slow cooker a number of times before. Even fussy eaters who are freaked out at the idea of lamb take one bite and then dive in, because all the other flavors and textures are familiar and the lamb really tastes sublime. Most of the ingredients are inexpensive things or stuff people already have around the house. It's also easy to adapt to being kid- and/or budget-friendly, so for example you can swap out the red wine for orange juice, the mushrooms for quartered potatoes, change up the spices, etc. Forget marinating or not marinating, it's the Maillard reaction in the browning stage that makes or breaks the dish. The recipe still works without that step, but give the shanks a good seared crust before they go into the slow cooker and it will add so much flavor. This meal, like most slow cooks, tastes even better a day or so later.
Ingredients
1 sweet onion (sliced, separated into rings)
4 lamb shanks (rinsed, patted dry)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Dash of black pepper (freshly ground)
1 teaspoon olive oil
10 garlic cloves (whole ones cut in half, peeled)
8 ounces mushrooms (brushed clean, cut in half)
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 cup beef broth (double-strength)
1 (14-ounce) can tomatoes (diced)
1 teaspoon oregano (dried)
1 teaspoon basil (dried)
4 sprigs thyme (fresh)
1 teaspoon allspice (ground)
1 small bay leaf (broken in half)
Spread sliced and separated onion rings on the bottom of the slow cooker.
Rub lamb shanks with Worcestershire sauce, then sprinkle all over with salt and pepper.
Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and brown the lamb shanks.
Place browned lamb shanks, along with any browned bits from the skillet, in the slow cooker, on top of the onions. Top with whole garlic cloves and mushrooms.
In a medium bowl, mix together a 1/2 cup of red wine, 1/2 cup beef broth, 1 can tomatoes, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon basil, 4 sprigs thyme, 1 teaspoon allspice, and 1 bay leaf. Pour mixture over the vegetables and lamb shanks.
Cook on low in the slow cooker for 6 to 8 hours or until tender. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve with pan juices and vegetables.