Slow-cooker lamb shoulder
This recipe guides you through preparing a succulent bone-in lamb shoulder in a slow cooker. The lamb is first seared to develop rich flavors, then slow-cooked with aromatic vegetables, red wine, herbs, and stock until incredibly tender and easily pulled apart, creating a hearty and comforting main course.
Equipment
- 1 Slow Cooker A large capacity slow cooker, 5-6 quarts minimum, is ideal for a 1.75kg lamb shoulder.
- 1 Large Frying Pan or Dutch Oven Essential for browning the lamb shoulder to develop deep flavors before slow cooking.
- 1 Sharp Chef's Knife For efficient and safe chopping of vegetables.
- 1 Cutting Board A sturdy board for preparing vegetables and resting/shredding the cooked lamb.
- 1 Tongs For safely handling and turning the large lamb shoulder during browning.
Ingredients
Main
- 1¾ kg bone-in lamb shoulder
- 2 tsp vegetable or sunflower oil
- 200 ml red wine
- 2 carrots roughly chopped
- 2 onions quartered
- 2 sticks celery roughly chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- a few rosemary sprigs
- a few thyme sprigs
- 300 ml lamb chicken or vegetable stock
- potatoes and seasonal greens to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Season the bone-in lamb shoulder generously on all sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Heat the vegetable or sunflower oil in a large frying pan or Dutch oven over high heat until shimmering.
- Carefully place the seasoned lamb shoulder in the hot pan and sear for 5-7 minutes on each side until deeply browned and caramelized all over.
- Remove the lamb from the pan and set aside. Add the roughly chopped carrots, quartered onions, and roughly chopped celery to the same pan and sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened and slightly colored.
- Pour the red wine into the pan, scraping the bottom vigorously with a wooden spoon to deglaze and release all the browned bits. Simmer for 2-3 minutes to reduce slightly.
- Transfer the browned lamb shoulder, sautéed vegetables, and the reduced wine mixture to the slow cooker.
- Add the bay leaves, rosemary sprigs, thyme sprigs, and lamb, chicken, or vegetable stock to the slow cooker.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on the LOW setting for 6-8 hours, or on the HIGH setting for 3-4 hours, until the lamb is exceptionally tender and can be easily pulled apart with a fork.
- Carefully remove the cooked lamb shoulder from the slow cooker and transfer it to a large cutting board or serving platter. Cover loosely with foil and let it rest for 15-20 minutes.
- While the lamb rests, strain the cooking liquid from the slow cooker through a fine-mesh sieve into a saucepan, pressing down on the vegetables to extract all the flavorful juices. Skim off any excess fat from the surface. Reduce the strained liquid over medium-high heat until it reaches your desired consistency for a rich gravy, if desired. Shred or slice the lamb and serve warm with the gravy, potatoes, and seasonal greens.
Notes
1. Browning the lamb shoulder thoroughly is crucial. This step develops deep, caramelized flavors through the Maillard reaction, which cannot be achieved in the slow cooker alone. Don't rush it. 2. Deglazing the pan with red wine after browning the lamb and sautéing the vegetables captures all those delicious fond bits, adding significant depth to your sauce. 3. While the recipe suggests rough chopping, ensure vegetables are cut uniformly enough to release their aromatics consistently. Consider straining the cooking liquid and reducing it separately to create a rich, unctuous gravy to serve alongside the lamb; skim off any excess fat. 4. Allow the lamb to rest after cooking; this redistributes the juices, ensuring a more tender and moist result.