Comforting and full of depth, this slow-cooked lamb shoulder is perfect for a winter evening. Gently simmered with red wine, root veggies and herbs, it’s fall-apart tender and makes a beautiful centrepiece served with potatoes and seasonal greens.
Slow Cooker Lamb Shoulder
Serves 6
8.5 hrs
What do I need?
- 1.75 kg bone-in lamb shoulder
- 2 tsp 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 vegetable stock
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
How do I make it?
- Pat the lamb dry using a clean tea towel or kitchen paper, then rub it all over with sunflower oil. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and brown the lamb on all sides – this will take about 10–12 minutes. Once browned, set the lamb aside.
- Pour the red wine into the same pan and let it bubble for a minute or two to cook off the alcohol. Turn off the heat.
- Scatter the carrots, onions, celery, bay leaves and herbs into the base of your slow cooker. Place the lamb on top, then pour in the red wine and vegetable stock.
- Cover and cook on high for 6 hours or low for 8 hours. If possible, turn the lamb halfway through cooking.
- Once cooked, transfer the lamb to a plate and let it rest. Set a sieve over a bowl and strain the cooking liquid – you can discard the vegetables or serve them on the side if you like. The liquid makes a great base for gravy: just thicken it with flour or cornflour on the stove.
- Serve the lamb with potatoes, seasonal greens and plenty of that rich gravy.
