Cook lamb low and slow to produce tender, deeply flavoured meat with minimal effort. Serve with potatoes and seasonal greens, if you like
Prep:15 mins
Serves 4 – 6
1¾kg bone-in lamb shoulder2 tsp vegetable or sunflower oil200ml red wine2 carrots, roughly chopped2 onions, quartered2 sticks celery, roughly chopped2 bay leavesa few rosemary sprigsa few thyme sprigs300ml lamb, chicken or vegetable stockpotatoes and seasonal greens, to serve (optional)
STEP 1Dry the lamb with a clean tea towel or kitchen paper, rub all over with the oil, then season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat and brown the lamb all over – this will take around 10-12 mins. Remove from the pan and set aside. Pour the wine into the pan and cook for 1-2 mins to cook off the alcohol. Turn off the heat.STEP 2Tip the veg and herbs into your slow cooker, then lay the lamb on top. Pour in the stock. Cook on high for 6 hrs or low for 8 hrs, turning halfway, if you can.STEP 3Remove the lamb and set aside to rest. Set a sieve or colander over a bowl and capture the liquid (either discard the vegetables or eat them with the meal – they’ll be soft but taste great). You can use the cooking liquid to make a gravy simply by thickening with flour or cornflour. Serve with potatoes and seasonal greens, if you like.
