The most incredible fall-apart Slow Cooker Lamb Shoulder that literally melts-in-your-mouth. Cooked with red wine, garlic and rosemary, this one pot slow cooker meal can be served as an easy roast dinner, or in burgers slathered with gravy.
As soon as the cooler weather rolls around, I'm all about slow cooker meals, nutritious and hearty soups and comfort food desserts.
And nothing... I mean nothing... beats a slow cooked roast! Whether it's a roast beef, pulled pork, roast chicken or this lamb shoulder, the fall-apart tender meat takes your roast dinner to a whole new level!
Why You're Going To Love This Recipe
This simple one-pot slow cooker meal is a firm family favourite. Here's why it's so popular:
- Set And Forget - Pop everything into the slow cooker and leave it to do it's thing! Great for weekdays when you want to have dinner in the slow cooker before you leave for work, or perfect for weekends when you don't feel like cooking! Plus there's just something so comforting about having the slow cooker ticking away all day with the delicious aromas wafting out.
- Great Family Dinner - From kids to adults - this slow cooker lamb is an absolute winner!
- Versatile - While this slow cooker lamb shoulder makes an AMAZING roast dinner, you can also mix things up! A few of my favourite options are using the soft fall-apart meat to make pulled lamb burgers or souvlaki's, or use the leftovers to make yummy Greek lamb pizzas.
- Freezer Friendly - If you find yourselves with extra leftover meat, you can simply freeze it and reheat for a quick and easy meal later on.
What You Need
This is the perfect recipe to make when you find a lamb shoulder on special at the supermarket or butchers!
Note: Please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for ingredient quantities and the full detailed method.
Lamb Shoulder - lamb shoulder is perfect for slow cooking as it contains quite a lot of fat and tissue. This means that after hours of slow cooking, the meat is so incredibly pull-apart soft. Cheaper and fattier cuts of meat are the best for slow cooking... so grab a lamb shoulder and let's get cooking.
Seasonings - garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper give this slow cooker lamb shoulder a classic roast lamb flavour. Add extra garlic for more flavour if you like!
Vegetables - carrot and onion are slow cooked to give the meat a delicious flavour. They can then also be used in the gravy (optional).
Plain Flour - also known as all-purpose flour. This is used to coat the vegetables and acts as a thickener for the gravy.
Red Wine - this gives the lamb shoulder it's rich delicious flavour and the alcohol cooks out by the time it's ready so it's perfectly fine for the whole family to eat. If you prefer, you can substitute the red wine for extra liquid stock, however, it just won't have quite the same rich flavour.
Chicken or Vegetable Liquid Stock - you can use either chicken or vegetable liquid stock in this recipe. If lamb liquid stock is available where you live (it's not where I do!) then you could use that instead.
Step By Step Instructions
My favourite thing about this recipe is that it takes just 20 minutes to prepare! Perfect for busy families, easy weeknight dinners or a slow cooked weekend roast. THE BEST!!
Note: Please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for ingredient quantities and the full detailed method.
Step 1 - Coat The Vegetables
Place the carrot, onion and a couple of rosemary sprigs into the slow cooker. Add the plain flour and stir to coat.
The plain flour will help to thicken the sauce as the lamb roast cooks.
Step 2 - Add The Meat
Using a sharp knife cut slits into the lamb. Press the remaining rosemary and the garlic into the slits. Rub over the olive oil and season well with salt and pepper.
Place into the slow cooker and pour the liquid stock around the roast.
Step 3 - Add The Wine
Pour the red wine (or stock substitute) around the edge of the roast.
Cook on LOW for 5 hours and 30 minutes or on HIGH for 4 hours.
Expert Tips
I recommend using lamb shoulder as it's a fatty cut of meat which makes it perfect for slow cooking. After slow cooking, the fat has melted and the meat literally falls apart. You can substitute for a different cut of lamb, like leg, however, it's not as fatty which means it wont give you the same melt-in-your-mouth result.
The red wine gives this dish it's beautiful richness and the alcohol cooks out by the time it's ready, meaning that the entire family can eat it. However, if you prefer, you can substitute the red wine for extra liquid stock.
Absolutely not!! Making gravy using the leftover liquid in the slow cooker is not essential - but it is delicious, of course!
When the roast cooks in the slow cooker, it is beautifully soft and tender. However, by cooking it in a hot oven for 20 minutes, the outside of the roast gets the most incredible 'baked' flavour and texture, while keeping the meat in the centre fall-apart soft.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Related Recipes
Love using your slow cooker? Me too! Here's a few more of my favourite slow cooker recipes:
- Slow Cooker Apricot Chicken - this is such a family favourite in our house (and it's perfect for even the fussiest of little eaters!) Serve with rice or mashed potato and green vegetables.
- Slow Cooker Chilli Con Carne - this family-friendly dinner is always a winner! Keep the chilli level low (or omit it entirely) for kids, or add some extra for a chilli punch! Serve with rice, corn chips, avocado and sour cream for a fun midweek meal.
- Creamy Tuscan Slow Cooker Chicken - one of our all-time favourite meals ever. This is rich, cream and oh-so-delicious. Serve with pasta and greens or garlic bread. YUM!
- Slow Cooker Italian Beef Ragu Pasta - Fall-apart rich beef ragu with pasta is such a delicious and hearty winter dinner.
- Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff - a classic old fashioned favourite with tender beef and creamy mushrooms. SO yum!
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Slow Cooker Lamb Shoulder
Ingredients
- 1.8-2 kg lamb shoulder bone in
- 2 tbs olive oil
- salt and pepper to season
- 10 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 4 teaspoon minced garlic or 4 garlic cloves halved
- 1 carrot large, peeled and diced into 1cm pieces
- 1 brown onion thinly sliced
- ½ cup (60 g) plain flour all purpose
- 250 ml red wine
- 500 ml vegetable or chicken stock liquid
Instructions
- Rub the lamb with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Cut 8 small incisions using a sharp knife into the lamb. Press rosemary sprigs and garlic into each incision.
- Place the carrot, onion and remaining rosemary into the base of the slow cooker.
- Sprinkle over the plain flour and stir to coat.
- Place the lamb on top of the vegetables.
- Pour the red wine and vegetable or chicken stock liquid around the sides of the dish.
- Cook on LOW for 5 hours and 30 minutes or on HIGH for 4 hours.
- Remove the lamb from the slow cooker and place onto a baking dish. Cook in an oven pre-heated to 200 degrees celsius (fan-forced) for 20 minutes.
- To make gravy (optional step): Remove the top layer of fat from the slow cooker by using a spoon. Pour the remaining contents of the slow cooker into a frying pan or saucepan on the stove-top over medium/high heat. Remove ½ cup of the liquid, cool slightly, and then add 1 tbs of cornflour. Mix until it creates a smooth liquid. Pour back into the frying pan/saucepan. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook until thickened.
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