• Season. Rub lamb shanks generously with salt and pepper. Then add flour, on all sides, to lightly coat.
• Sear. Heat a shallow braiser over medium high heat and add 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil. Add lamb shanks and sear on one side, about 4 minutes. Flip and brown on the other side, another 4 minutes.
• Saute Aromatics. Remove meat and set aside on a plate. In the same pan, reduce heat to medium and add onion, garlic, and pinch of salt. Cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Deglaze pan. Add red wine to deglaze the pan. Make sure to scrape up the fond or browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add tomatoes and crush with a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon. Add rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, and chopped up dried figs.
• Choose one the following methods to continue cooking: stove top, slow cooker, instant pot, or oven braise.

Stove top instructions:

• Braise. Return lamb shanks to the pan, directly nestled in the sauce, plus the beef broth and any juices or drippings that may have collected on the plate. Bring to a boil then lower heat to medium low. Cover and simmer until lamb is fork tender and falling off the bone, 2.5-3 hours.
• Tip: make sure to keep an eye on the sauce. Stir occassionally, making sure the sauce is not burning. Also, flip the lamb shanks every 30 minutes to keep the meat flavorful and tender.
• Reduce sauce. When the lamb is tender, transfer to a plate. Discard the thyme stems and bay leaves. Turn up the heat to medium and reduce sauce (uncovered) until thick and gravy-like in consistency. Stif frequently, scraping the bottom of the pot, so the sauce doesn't burn.
• Garnish and serve. To serve individual portions, add mashed potatoes to a shallow bowl. Add 1 lamb shank per bowl with plenty of sauce. Sprinkle parsley all over. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Instructions:

• Braise. Add lamb shanks to the slow cooker, making sure to add beef broth and any juices or drippings that may have collected on the plate. Add the sauce directly on top of the lamb shanks. Cover and cook in the slow cooker until lamb is fork tender and falling off the bone. About 4-5 hours on the high setting or 6-7 hours on the low setting.
• Reduce sauce. When the lamb is tender, remove from the slow cooker and set aside on a separate plate. Discard the thyme stems and bay leaves. Add sauce to a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until thick and reduced, about 10-15 minutes. Make sure to stir, scraping the bottom of the pot to prevent burning.
• Garnish and serve. To serve individual portions, add mashed potatoes to a shallow bowl. Add 1 lamb shank per bowl with plenty of sauce. Sprinkle parsley all over. Enjoy!

Instant Pot Instructions:

• Braise. Add lamb shanks to the Instant Pot, making sure to add beef broth and any juices or drippings that may have collected on the plate. Add the sauce directly on top of the lamb shanks. Set the Instant Pot to "Meat" function for 30 minutes. Lock the lid in place and cook.
• Reduce sauce. When the lamb is fork tender, remove from the Instant Pot and set aside on a separate plate. Discard the thyme stems and bay leaves. Using the "Saute" function, reduce the sauce until thick and rich, about 10 minutes. Make sure to stir, scraping the bottom of the pot to prevent burning.
• Garnish and serve. To serve individual portions, add mashed potatoes to a shallow bowl. Add 1 lamb shank per bowl with plenty of sauce. Sprinkle parsley all over. Enjoy!

Oven Braise Instructions:

• Braise. Return lamb shanks to the pan, directly nestled in the sauce, plus beef broth and any juices or drippings that may have collected on the plate. Cover and transfer to a 350F/175C oven for a long, slow braise until lamb is fork tender and falling off the bone, about 2.5-3 hours.
• Reduce sauce. When the lamb is tender, remove the shallow braiser from the oven and transfer the lamb shanks to a plate. Discard the thyme stems and bay leaves. Turn up the heat to medium and reduce sauce (uncovered) until thick and gravy-like in consistency. Stir frequently, scraping the bottom of the pot, so the sauce doesn't burn.
• Garnish and serve. To serve individual portions, add mashed potatoes to a shallow bowl. Add 1 lamb shank per bowl with plenty of sauce. Sprinkle parsley all over. Enjoy!