Slow Cooker Leg of Lamb
Slow Cooker Leg of Lamb is tender and juicy with a tangy wine and broth mixture seasoned with garlic and fresh herbs. By adding potatoes and carrots, you have a whole meal with very little prep.
Looking for other slow cooker recipes? Try our decadent Slow Cooker Lamb Stew with potatoes and wine or this Slow Cooker Pork Stew seasoned with beef broth and wine.
This slow cooker leg of lamb recipe is perfect for a special occasion or any weeknight dinner. Since it cooks at low heat all day, it is going to fall right off the bone.
If you are looking for more leg of lamb recipes, try our Easter lamb recipe. It does not have to be Easter to enjoy this tender lamb dish.
For a faster meal, our Instant Pot Lamb Stew is done in less than an hour.
Ingredients needed:
Here are the ingredients you need for this lamb roast recipe. For more details, scroll down to our recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Lamb leg: Boneless leg of lamb.
- Red potatoes: Quartered.
- Large carrot: Cut into rounds.
- Chicken broth: Beef or vegetable broth will also work.
- Red wine
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Coarse ground black pepper
- Garlic cloves: Minced.
- Fresh rosemary: Chopped.
- Rosemary sprigs
- Thyme sprigs
- Bay leaves
How to make slow cooker leg of lamb recipe?
- Begin: To begin, pour the olive oil into a large skillet on high heat to sear the leg on all sides. This should take about four or five minutes per side.
- Slow cooking: Then, add the carrots and potatoes to the slow cooker and season with half of the salt and pepper. Put the meat on top and season with the remaining salt and pepper to start slow cooking.
- Season: Next, season the lamb with fresh herbs and garlic before adding the wine and broth to the pot. Pour it on the sides so you do not wash the seasonings off. Add bay leaves.
- Cook: After, cover and cook on low for six to eight hours.
- Garnish: Last, toss out the bay leaves and garnish with fresh lemon zest and parsley.
- Serve: Finally, serve the meat on a serving platter with a small bowl of tzatziki sauce on the side.
Recipe variations:
- Instant pot: If you are in a hurry, cook your meat in the instant pot on high for 30 to 35 minutes. Then, do a natural release before checking the temperature of the meat. It should read 145 degrees F with a meat thermometer.
- Different wine: You can also use white wine or whatever is your favorite.
- Lemony: Add a tablespoon of lemon juice for a mildly tangy taste.
- Spicy: Toss in some red pepper flakes for spicy meat.
- Herbs: You can use any herb mixture you like such as Italian, ranch, or even chili seasoning.
- More veggies: Feel free to add more veggies like green beans, corn, peas, or whatever else you like.
How to serve:
This is a good roast to serve on Easter or for Sunday dinner. Really, it is one of those eazy peazy mealz you can serve any time since it cooks on its own at low temperature all day. Try one of these awesome serving suggestions:
- Try our slow cooker corn casserole or air fryer bacon-wrapped green beans for some delicious side dishes.
- Add small pieces of anchovies to your gravy before serving for an amazing flavor.
- If you have just a little bit of meat left, turn it into Irish lamb stew with this recipe.
- Honey mustard and teriyaki sauce are also great flavors to add to your meal.
- Don’t forget the bread. Try our homemade olive bread or Irish soda bread.
Frequently asked questions
Can I cook raw lamb in a crock pot?
There is nothing wrong with cooking raw meat of any kind in a crock pot or slow cooker.
However, if the meat is frozen, you should not try cooking it this way. It takes too long to thaw out to be properly cooked.
Should I brown my lamb before slow cooking?
As in this recipe, searing the meat is best before cooking because it keeps the juices in.
Since this meat has less fat, it needs to keep all of the juices it has to stay moist. Otherwise, it will be dried out or overcooked.
What cut of lamb is best?
A boneless lamb leg is indeed the best cut, especially for slow cooking. However, any kind of lamb meat you happen to find at the grocery store would be delicious.
The lamb shoulder is better cooked in the oven as it has the lamb joint, which takes longer to cook.
How to store leftovers:
- Store: After the meat cools to room temperature, you can put it in an airtight container and store in the fridge for three days.
- Freeze: If you cannot finish it in three days, wrap it in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, put it in a freezer bag, and freeze for up to 90 days.
- Thaw: Thaw in your refrigerator overnight before serving.
- Reheat: Reheat in the microwave for one minute or in the oven for about five minutes.
More Easter recipes:
Cooking tips:
- Whichever cooking process you use, make sure the meat is at 145 degrees F.
- Lamb should still be pink on the inside for best results.
- Make a delicious gravy with the drippings in the cooker by mixing in flour and water and cook over medium heat until it boils.
- If you want the roast potatoes to be crispy, put them in the broiler for five minutes before serving.
- The upper side of the leg has more meat so cook it with that side down.
- This is perfect for a high protein diet because it has 56 grams of protein per serving.
Slow Cooker Leg of Lamb
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 pounds leg of lamb or 2 smaller ones - you can also use boneless
- 2 pounds red potatoes quartered
- 1 large carrot cut into rounds
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary chopped
- 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
- 2 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup chicken broth low-sodium
- 1 cup red wine
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest to serve
Instructions
- Add olive oil to a large pot or to the slow cooker if it has an aluminum insert for browning.
- On high heat sear the meat on all sides, about 5 minutes per side, or until browned. Set aside.
- After that, add the potatoes and the carrots to the bottom of the crockpot, and season with some salt and pepper.
- Add the seared meat and drippings from the pan on top of the veggies. Again, season with a bit of salt and pepper.
- Next, add the minced garlic, chopped rosemary, rosemary, and thyme sprigs.
- Pour in the chicken broth and wine on the side of the slow cooker, make sure to not wash the seasoning off the lamb.
- Finally, add the bay leaves.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until tender.
- Discard the bay leaves.
- Arrange the meat and veggies onto a serving plate. Garnish with fresh lemon zest, parsley and serve with tzatziki sauce on the side.
Nutrition
