Succulent and tender Slow Cooker Lamb Shoulder is what melt-in-your-mouth-lamb dreams are made of!
With hardly any hands on time, this slow cooker lamb shoulder recipe will deliver deliciously soft lamb that falls away from the bone and just shreds with a fork.
The shoulder is one of the cheapest cuts of lamb, but it is also the best cut to choose when it comes to slow cooking - this is where it shines!
One of the easiest ways of cooking your Sunday roast lamb is in your slow cooker or crock pot and then finishing it off in the oven, rather than the whole cooking time in the oven.
I am very partial to a slow cooked lamb shoulder roast, (I choose it over a leg of lamb for a roast dinner every time) but previously I have only shared a recipe for it baked in the oven.
That changes today - I got a new slow cooker for Christmas (yay!) - and I have given it a work out!
Table of Contents
Why you will love this slow cooker lamb shoulder
- Set and forget lamb recipe.
- Gorgeously tasty, tender meat and plenty of gravy (of course).
- Versatile leftovers - makes wonderfully moist leftover roast lamb meat that can be used in lots of other ways.
What you need to make slow cooker lamb shoulder
*Please see the recipe card below for exact ingredient quantities and detailed instructions
- bone-in lamb shoulder - mine was 2.4 kg
- olive oil
- fresh rosemary
- garlic cloves
- salt and pepper
- beef stock
- plain (all purpose) flour
- butter
*Please see the recipe card below for exact ingredient quantities and detailed instructions
How to make this recipe
- Rub lamb all over with olive oil, rosemary and garlic then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Place in slow cooker.
- Pour beef stock around the lamb (not over the top) and cook for 10 hours on low setting (refer to your slow cooker's instructions). When finished place lamb in the oven to brown, and pour the cooking juices into a jug for the gravy.
- To make the gravy, heat butter in a sauce pan until starting to foam.
- Mix in plain flour and continue to cook over low heat for 1 minute.
- Gradually add cooking juices in small amounts (stir well with each addition until there are no lumps before adding more) until all the juices have been added then simmer until thickened.
Top tips
- Please don't skip the step of browning the lamb in the oven once it's finished in the slow cooker - it really adds to the taste and look of the finished recipe.
- Make sure you can fit the shoulder in your slow cooker - my lamb was 2.4 kg (bone-in) and my slow cooker is 7L. It also depends on the shape of the bowl/insert in your slow cooker. My previous slow cooker (that was about 30 years old!) had a round bowl - no bone-in lamb shoulder was fitting in that, I tried!
- My slow cooker doesn't need the meat to be sitting on a trivet (raised off the base of the cooker bowl) as it cooks for this kind of recipe, it's best to check your cooker's instructions. If you do need a trivet then you could sit the lamb on top of some thick slices of carrot or onion if you don't have a metal one to use. The vegetables need to be removed from the liquid to make the gravy, and they will change the overall taste.
- You could also use a boneless lamb shoulder (approximately 2 kg) if you'd rather, I tend to go for bone-in because the bone imparts some extra flavour and weirdly I find it easier to shred. You can buy boneless shoulders from the supermarket (usually rolled and tied) or ask your butcher to bone one out for you.
- There will be a lot of liquid in the base of the slow cooker when you are finished - that's what we want! This also makes it easy to increase the amount of gravy if you like. If I have a good amount of liquid left I freeze it for another occasion.
- The lamb is best shredded when it is warm, as it cools it will be much harder to shred.
- I like to serve a pile of this shredded lamb on the plate, then spoon over plenty of gravy.
Suggested side dishes
- The crunchiest ever roast potatoes!
- Smashed baby potatoes.
- Rocket, pear and parmesan salad.
- A fresh and healthy Greek style grain salad.
Storage
- Store any leftover lamb or gravy in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Or to freeze, place shredded lamb into a zip lock bag, removing as much air as possible from the bag then label and date and place in the freezer as flat as possible (helps with defrosting time).
How to use the leftovers
- Make some leftover roast lamb rolls - these are super easy for a lunch or dinner option.
- Easy meal prep - make up freezer roast dinners (either individual or family size portions) so you can pull them out for a quick roast lamb dinner with gravy.
- Substitute shredded lamb for the rotisserie chicken in this creamy pasta bake.
- Another great recipe to use any leftover lamb in is stuffed capsicums (red peppers).
- Lamb sandwiches are always a favourite.
- Try a lamb wrap - a homemade version of lamb souvlaki using leftover roast lamb.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better to slow cook lamb shoulder or leg?
Lamb shoulder.
Can you slow cook lamb shoulder from frozen?
No. It must be completely thawed first.
Other recipes you may enjoy
Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder (Oven Version) - moist, tender, pull apart lamb meat that is so soft it shreds with just two forks.
Moroccan Style Lamb Shanks - soft, tender lamb shanks, slow cooked in a blend of Moroccan spices until the meat just falls away from the bone!
Lamb and Mushroom Pie - this is a rich and hearty, family style pie made with lamb mince (ground lamb) and red wine. The whole family will love this easy lamb recipe.
Lamb Shank Soup - slowly braised lamb shanks in a warming vegetable soup. Ingredients like carrots, onions and potatoes are simmered in a rich stock with fresh thyme for an easy family meal.
📖 Recipe
Slow Cooker Lamb Shoulder (with Gravy)
My super easy slow cooker lamb shoulder recipe will give you succulent, melt in your mouth lamb so tender that it literally falls away from the bone.
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Serving:
Calories: 385kcal
Ingredients
- 2.4 kg lamb shoulder (bone in)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves crushed
- ½ teaspoon salt
- black pepper
- 2 cups beef stock
Gravy
- 50 g butter
- 40 g plain flour
- 2 cups reserved lamb braising liquid/cooking juices
- salt and pepper to taste
Watch me make this recipe
Instructions
- Rub lamb all over with olive oil, rosemary and garlic then sprinkle with salt and pepper.2.4 kg lamb shoulder (bone in)1 tablespoon olive oil3 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves4 garlic cloves½ teaspoon saltblack pepper
- Place lamb in the slow cooker and pour the beef stock around the lamb (not over the top) and cook for 10 hours on low setting (refer to your slow cooker's instructions).2 cups beef stock
- Towards the end of the lamb's cooking time, preheat oven to 200c.
- When it's finished, take the lamb out of the slow cooker and place it in a baking dish (be careful as you transfer it, it will be very soft) and pour the cooking juices into a jug, skim off any fat and set aside to make the gravy.
- Bake lamb uncovered for 20 minutes until browned on top.
Gravy
- Melt butter in a saucepan until starting to foam.50 g butter
- Add plain flour and mix to combine, then stir over low heat for 1 minute.40 g plain flour
- Switch off the heat, then add cooking juices in approximately ¼ cup amounts (stir well with each addition until there are no lumps before adding the next ¼ cup - see my Gravy Making Notes below), once this mixture is the consistency of cream you can add the remaining cooking juices. Stir over low heat until simmering and thickened, adding salt and pepper to taste.2 cups reserved lamb braising liquid/cooking juicessalt and pepper
- Slice or shred the lamb (discarding fat and bones) then serve with gravy.
Notes
- Please don't skip the step of browning the lamb in the oven once it's finished in the slow cooker - this step really amps up the taste and visual appeal of the dish.
- Make sure you can fit the shoulder in your slow cooker - my lamb was 2.4 kg (bone-in) and my slow cooker is 7L. It also depends on the shape of the bowl/insert in your slow cooker. My previous slow cooker (that was about 30 years old!) had a round bowl - no bone-in lamb shoulder was fitting in that, believe me, I tried!
- You could also use a boneless lamb shoulder (approximately 2 kg) if you'd rather, I tend to go for bone-in because the bone imparts some extra flavour and weirdly I find it easier to shred. You can buy boneless shoulders from the supermarket (usually rolled and tied) or ask your butcher to bone one out for you.
- There will be a lot of liquid in the base of the slow cooker when the lamb is finished cooking - that's exactly what we want! This also makes it easy to increase the amount of gravy if you like. If I have a good amount of liquid left after I make the gravy I freeze it for another occasion.
- I like to serve a pile of this shredded lamb on the plate, then spoon over plenty of gravy.
- The lamb is best shredded when it is warm, as it cools it will be much harder to shred.
- Adding the liquid in small increments, mixing until there are no lumps and the liquid is fully absorbed by the butter/flour mixture before adding the next amount is the secret to getting a smooth gravy.
- The mixture will start out looking like play-doh when you add the first couple of portions of liquid - gradually getting thinner until it reaches the consistency of cream - at this point you can safely mix in the remainder of the liquid without any lumps forming.
- Watch me make the gravy in the video just above the instructions.
This recipe looks like you have done it in the oven Lee Ann it looks delicious Lee-Ann I'm certainly going to try it.
Full disclosure Carolyn, it does go into the oven for 20 mins to brown it up at the end of the slow cooker time. I hope you do try it, I think you will be happy with the result! L x