Not just how to cook lamb but the best way to slow roast lamb. Anything from 4 to 24 hours. Roast leg of lamb, lamb shanks, lamb shoulder. When you slow cook lamb the results are truly fabulous. The fat simply melts leaving soft succulent meat with a rich deep flavour that simply falls from the bone. Here are some of the best slow cooked lamb recipes to get you started and see which are the best cuts for slow roasted lamb recipes.
Now you’ve got the lamb sorted how about your own mint sauce and the best roast potatoes. Soooooo good.
3.5 Hours Super Easy Slow Roast Leg of Lamb
Serves 4
half a leg of lamb (about 1.25kg/2lb 12oz)
1kg onions (about 4 large ones)
handful of thyme sprigs
300ml red wine
large handful parsley
5 ingredients, 1 pot and 0 effort this meltingly tender lamb dish is satisfyingly rich, and virtually cooks itself.
1. Firstly, prepare the lamb. Heat oven to 160C/fan140C/gas 3. Wipe the meat all over and season well. Heat 3 tbsp of olive oil in a large heavy flameproof casserole, add the meat and fry all over on a fairly high heat for about 8 mins, turning until it is evenly well browned. Remove to a plate.
2. Thinly slice the onions. Add to the pan and fry for about 10 mins, until softened and tinged with brown. Add a few of the thyme sprigs and cook for a further minute or so. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Sit the lamb on top of the onions, then add the wine. Cover tightly. Bake for 3 hrs. You can make to this stage up to 2 days in advance, then reheat for 45 mins.
4. To finish off, strip the leaves from 2 thyme sprigs and chop them with the parsley. Scatter over before serving.
3.5 Hours Nigel Slater Slow Roast Leg of Lamb
Serves 6
a leg lamb, about 2.3kg
for the spice rub:
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp sea salt flakes
1 tbsp cumin seed
1 pinch sweet paprika
2 tbsp thyme leaves
2 tbsp olive oil
a thick slice of butter
1. Set the oven at 160C/gas mark 3.
2. Make the spice rub: peel the garlic cloves, then lightly crush them with the salt using a pestle and mortar.
3. Mix in the cumin, paprika and thyme.
4. Gradually add the oil so that you end up with a thickish paste.
5 .Melt the butter in a small pan and stir it into the spice paste.
6. Put the lamb into a deep sided casserole
7. Pour in 250ml of water.
8. Baste the lamb with the liquid, then continue roasting for a further three hours, basting the meat every hour. If the juices are evaporating rapidly, then add a little more water.
9. Remove the pan from the heat and pour off the thin top layer of oil from the cooking juices, leaving the cloudy, herbal sediment in place.
10. Cover the pan with a lid and set aside for 10 minutes or so.
5 Hours Jamie Oliver Slow Roast Leg of Lamb
Serves 6
1 large leg of lamb
salt & freshly ground black pepper
olive oil
6 rashers of thick streaky bacon
3 red onions peeled and quartered
3 cloves of garlic peeled and sliced
2 good handfuls of mixed fresh herbs, thyme, rosemary, bay
4 large potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
1 celariac peeled and cut into chunks
6 large carrots peeled and halved
3 parsnips scrubbed and halved
1 bottle white wine
This is a real hearty and trouble free dinner. There’s barely any preparation, just a nice long cooking time which will reward you with the most tender meat and tasty sauce. Large legs of lamb are ideal for this dish as they benefit from slow cooking. If using a smaller leg of spring lamb then consider cooking for an hour less.
1. Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3.
2 .In a large pot or a deep sided roasting tray
3. Add the bacon, onions and garlic and continue fry for 3 more minutes, throw in your herbs and veg.
4. Pour in your wine plus an equivalent amount of water, bring to the boil and tightly cover with kitchen foil.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 5 hours until tender, seasoning the cooking liquor to taste.
6. To serve, pull away a nice portion of meat, take a selection of veg and serve with some crusty bread to mop up the gravy.
NB: you have to use a MASSIVE pot! I buy a 2kg leg of lamb, then use a huge Le Creuset
7 Hours Tom Kitchen Slow Roast Lamb Shoulder
Serves 8
1 shoulder of lamb about 2.5kg
150ml (5 fl oz) olive oil
1 bunch fresh thyme
1 garlic bulb, plus extra sliced cloves for marinating
sea salt and black pepper
8 medium onions, peeled
250ml (1 cup) balsamic vinegar
If you like, you can marinate the lamb for a day in the olive oil with 6-8 sprigs thyme and some extra thinly sliced garlic. Turn it occasionally.
1. Before you cook the lamb, leave it out of the fridge for a good hour or two, so that the meat is at room temperature.
2. Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan 170°C/350°F/gas 4).
3. If you have marinated the lamb, remove the thyme and garlic, then season with 2g salt and 4-6 turns of freshly milled black pepper.
If not, rub the olive oil into the meat, and then season with the salt and pepper.
4. Place the meat in a large casserole
5. Place a little olive oil in the bottom of the pan, then place the casserole into the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until the lamb and onions have coloured.
6. Remove the casserole from the oven, then add about 8 sprigs thyme along with the garlic cloves.
7. Reduce the oven temperature to 110°C (fan 90°C/230°F/gas ¼) , and return the meat to the oven.
8. Cook for 5 hours with the lid on.
9. Add the balsamic vinegar, remove the lid and continue to cook for a further 1 hour.
10. Place the casserole on to a low heat to reduce any excess liquid.
11. Baste the lamb with this during the reducing, along with the onions, Just be careful they don’t stick or burn.