How to slow cook lamb (2024)

FAQs

How do you know when slow cooked lamb is ready? ›

After 5 hrs the meat will be cooked and offer no resistance to the knife. There is no need to rest the meat when cooked in this way, but to finish the sauce, transfer the meat and vegetables to a serving dish.

Sear Before Slow-Cooking

You create a Maillard reaction when you sear the lamb, which is a chemical reaction between the amino acids and the sugars in the meat. This reaction adds an extra roasted layer of flavor to the meat and seals in the juices, keeping it moist during the cooking process.

secondary cuts of meat work the best. This is because they're generally from the 'harder working' parts of the animal, so the meat tends to be tougher. They benefit from being cooked for longer and at lower temperatures than leaner meat, as the connective tissue breaks down to give that deep flavour and rich texture.

Lower temp = more succulent meat – Tough cuts like lamb shoulder need slow-cooking to tenderise them. The lower the roasting temperature, the less total moisture evaporation and thus juicier meat. 3-hour lamb is cooked at 180°C/350°F, while the 12 hour lamb is cooked at only 100°C/212°F.

Cuts like the shoulder, shanks and forequarter are much more forgiving than a leg of lamb, and they can stay in the slow cooker for a couple more hours than the recommended cooking time. However, if you leave lamb in the slow cooker for too long it will become stringy and dry.

Slow cooking in liquid transforms tougher cuts of lamb into fork-tender meat. Neck, shoulder and belly, either diced or as whole joints, are the best cuts for slow cooking and need to be cooked for at least 2 hrs at 150°C to soften the meat.

No, you don't have to brown lamb before slow cooking. The meat will still become moist and fall-off-the-bone tender. However, the slow cooker will never be hot enough to brown the meat, so if you decide to skip this step be aware that the finished dish may look paler than expected.

Each slow cooker meal's cooking time differs depending on the meat and its weight. The low setting is important so you don't overcook it, potentially leaving you with a dry or tough meal.

Cuts of lamb that are popular for slow cooking include the shoulder, leg, forequarter, shanks, neck chops, lamb ribs, and some sausages. These cuts are usually tougher because they have lots of connective tissue and fats, but this makes them perfect for slow and low methods of cooking.

Just plug in your slow cooker, add your chosen recipe's ingredients, set the cooker to low or high, depending on the recipe's instructions, add the lid and let it cook. Once your dish is done cooking, you can either switch the slow cooker off to turn off the heating element, or warm if you're not ready to enjoy it yet.

How do you keep meat moist in a slow cooker? ›

Brown Meat Before Putting It in the Slow Cooker

The number one thing that I found that helps my meals stay moist is to brown the meat before placing it in the slow cooker.

Cook It Slowly

This is certainly true when it comes to notoriously tough cuts of meat like beef brisket and pork shoulder. Cooking these cuts of meat slowly, either by braising, stewing or grill roasting, is the best way to get these tasty cuts of meat meltingly tender.

Once the meat thermometer is reading 80° – 85°C for sliced and 90° – 95°C for pulled, take your lamb off the kettle grill, wrap in an aluminum foil and allow the lamb to rest for 15 – 20 minutes. Carve the meat off the bone with a slicing knife.

Make sure you allow the lamb to reach room temperature. I like to leave mine out for an hour before cooking. It will give you a more even cook.

Cook all raw lamb steaks, chops, and roasts to a minimum internal temperature of 145° F (62.8° C) as measured with a food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source. For safety and quality, allow meat to rest for at least three minutes before carving or consuming.

“If you're cooking meat, you'll know it's done when it is fork-tender, meaning you can cut into it easily with just a fork,” she says. When meat is overcooked, it will be “tough and dry,” while overcooked vegetables will be mushy.

I've said it before and I'll say it again – lamb leg should either be roasted exactly such that it's blushing pink inside – either whole or butterflied – or long and slow so it's ultra tender.

The shanks should be just tender enough to shred from the bone with a fork. If you like them to be more tender so that they fall right off, give them another half hour. If the shanks are all at 203°F (95°C) and tender, remove the pot from the oven.