I love lamb shanks and usually fix them in my cast iron dutch oven. This recipe solves my problem of having enough kitchen time to keep an eye on the lamb shanks while they're cooking so that the liquid doesn't dry up. It produces falling off the bones deliciously flavored meat. The ""sauce"" goes well over mashed potatoes (my husband's choice) or add green beans for a vegetable side dish (my low carb choice). An unexpected bonus: the wonderful aroma that wafts through the house while it's cooking.

I happen to be crazy about lamb shanks. I always order them out whenever I see them on a menu. This recipe is without a doubt, the best lamb shanks I have ever tasted. They are easy to make and the sauce is to die for. I did cook them an extra hour in my crock pot. They were perfect! My husband agreed. I would serve this to dinner guests too.

I made this recipe after reading the prior review and decided to address the issue of thickening the sauce at the beginning, using the same technique I would use if not using a crockpot. First, I made a slurry with the red wine, adding about 3 tablespoons of Wondra sauce and gravy flour. Next, I dredged the shanks in flour before browning and deglazed the browning pan with the beef broth, which I then added to the wine (slurry) and tomato mixture. This resulted in a sauce with just enough body. You can substitute on the herbs (I used thyme in lieu of basil because it is what I had), but don't skip the allspice which gives the sauce a lovely smell and taste! It is almost mandatory to make this dish either overnight and put it in the fridge all day, or to just make it the day before. This way it is easy to skim off the fat. Had I skipped this step, the dish would have been impossibly greasy.

Lamb was very tender and tasty. Recipe turned out to be more of a stew, but was very good. I added rosemary to the original recipe. Also added instant garlic mashed potatoes to the gravy to thicken.