Instant Pot Lamb Shanks With White Beans (Italian-Style Recipe) (2024)

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• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons kosher salt divided
• 1 quart water 1 litre
• 8 oz. dried cannellini beans or white northern beans (225 g)
• 2.5 lbs. lamb shanks 4 x 10 oz. shanks or 2 kg
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ cup dry white wine or dry white vermouth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 medium onion quartered
• 2 garlic cloves minced or finely diced
• 2 large carrots peeled, 1 quartered and 1 coarsely chopped
• 1 small fennel bulb quartered, fronds reserved (optional)
• 2 cups chicken stock plus additional if needed
• 1 medium tomato seeded and chopped
• Freshly ground black pepper

• Soak the beans. In a large bowl, dissolve 1 tablespoon of salt in the water. Add the beans and soak at room temperature for 8 to 24 hours. Rinse and drain.

• Prep the lamb. Sprinkle the lamb shanks with 1 ½ teaspoons of salt. Cover with aluminium foil and let them sit at room temperature for 20 minutes to 2 hours. The longer they sit, the better. If they sit for 1 hour or less, it can be at room temperature. If they sit for longer than 1 hour, let them do so in the refrigerator.

• Brown the lamb. Preheat the Instant Pot® by selecting Sauté and adjust to More for high heat. Heat the oil until it shimmers. Blot the lamb shanks dry with a paper towel. Add two shanks to the pot and cook, undisturbed, until browned, about 5 minutes. Turn over and repeat on the second side. Transfer the shanks to a plate and repeat with the remaining two shanks, transferring them to the plate when browned. Add the wine and cook, scraping to get up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Simmer the wine until it reduces by about half.

• Pressure cook the lamb. Add the bay leaf, onion, garlic, quartered carrot, and fennel (if using) to the pot. Transfer the browned shanks to the pot and pour in the stock. Lock the lid into place. Select Manual; adjust the pressure to High and the time to 35 minutes. After cooking, naturally release the pressure for 10 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure. Unlock and remove the lid.

• Strain the sauce. Transfer the shanks to a plate. Strain the sauce into a fat separator or bowl, discarding the vegetables. Let the fat rise for 5 minutes or so and then pour the sauce back into the pot, spooning off as much fat as possible if the sauce is in a bowl.

• Pressure cook the beans. Add the beans to the pot along with the chopped carrot and tomato. Make sure that the beans are covered by about an inch of liquid. If they are not, add more stock. Return the lamb to the pot. Lock the lid into place. Select Manual; adjust the pressure to High and the time to 10 minutes. After cooking, naturally, release the pressure for 10 minutes, then quickly release any remaining pressure. Unlock and remove the lid.

• Finish the dish. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt if necessary and seasoning with black pepper. If the beans are too soupy, select Sauté and adjust to Normal for medium heat. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly. Serve the beans in bowls, each topped with a lamb shank and sprinkled with the fennel fronds (if using).