Classic Lamb Shank Tagine | Jamie Oliver
by Jamie Oliver
This classic lamb shank tagine brings authentic Moroccan flavours to your kitchen with beautifully tender, fall-off-the-bone lamb. Jamie Oliver's recipe combines warm spices, aromatic vegetables, and gentle cooking to create a deeply flavourful dish that impresses every time. By adapting this for the slow cooker, you'll achieve those melt-in-your-mouth results with even less effort than traditional tagine cooking. Perfect for dinner parties or a comforting family meal, this dish develops rich, complex flavours as it cooks low and slow
Watch: Classic Lamb Shank Tagine | Jamie Oliver
Original recipe video — click to play
Original method: 45 minutes in a traditional tagine or covered casserole at 180°C
Ingredients
Main
- 4 pieces lamb shanks, trimmed of excess fat
Approximately 250g each for a 4-person serving
- 2 large onions, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic cloves, crushed
Spices
- 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 ½ tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
Liquid
- 400 ml chicken or vegetable stock
Reduced from typical recipe to account for slow cooker moisture retention
- 2 tbsp olive oil
For browning meat
Additional
- 75 g dried apricots, roughly chopped(optional)
Traditional Moroccan addition for sweetness
Garnish
- 30 g fresh coriander, roughly chopped
Add in final 15 minutes of cooking
Seasoning
- 1 tsp sea salt
Adjust to taste
- ½ tsp black pepper
Adjust to taste
Method
- 1
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper, then brown them on all sides until golden (approximately 8–10 minutes total). This step develops flavour and colour.
~10 minsTip: Do not skip this step as it adds depth to the finished dish.
- 2
Transfer the browned lamb shanks to your slow cooker.
~2 mins - 3
In the same frying pan, add the sliced onions and sauté for 3–4 minutes until softened. Add the crushed garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
~5 mins - 4
Add the ground cumin, ground coriander, paprika, ground ginger, and ground cinnamon to the pan. Stir well and cook for 1 minute to bloom the spices.
~1 minTip: Blooming the spices releases their essential oils and deepens their flavour.
- 5
Pour the stock into the pan and stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Transfer this mixture to the slow cooker with the lamb shanks.
~3 minsTip: The browned bits add wonderful flavour to the tagine.
- 6Optional step
If using dried apricots, add them to the slow cooker now and stir to combine all ingredients.
~2 mins - 7
Cover the slow cooker and cook on Low for 8 hours or on High for 5 hours. The lamb should be extremely tender and almost falling from the bone.
~8 hrsTip: Do not lift the lid frequently as this extends cooking time.
- 8
In the final 15 minutes of cooking, add the fresh chopped coriander. Stir well and check the seasoning, adjusting salt and pepper as needed.
~2 minsTip: Fresh herbs should be added late to preserve their vibrant colour and flavour.
- 9
Serve the tagine hot, spooning the rich sauce over the lamb shanks. Accompany with couscous, rice, or warm flatbread.
~5 minsTip: This dish improves in flavour if made a day ahead and reheated gently.
Nutrition
Detailed nutritional information is coming soon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, this recipe actually improves when made a day in advance. Brown the lamb and prepare the spice mixture as directed, then refrigerate overnight. The flavours develop further, and the dish is ready to transfer to the slow cooker the next day. This also makes meal planning easier
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