Slow Cooker Roast Lamb Leg is the easiest and most delicious way to cook a lamb leg. It’s fall-apart tender and succulent. It takes only 2 minutes to prepare; then you can pop it into the slow cooker and brown it briefly in an oven while making a delicious gravy with the lamb juices. This roast is perfect for sharing with friends and family!
Slow Cooker Lamb Leg
There are only two ways I cook a lamb leg: perfectly cooked so that it is pink and juicy on the inside (see my classic roast Lamb with Gravy), and long and slow to make it fall apart tender.
There is no middle ground!
There is. It’s not good. It’s sad.
Slow-cooked lamb legs that fall apart can be made in either the oven or the slow cooker.
It may seem counter-intuitive, but I use “roast Lamb” and “slow cook” together in the same sentence. It’s the best description of this recipe, as it is first cooked in a slow cooker before finishing in the oven for that gorgeous browning. It can also be reheated if the slow cooker has finished cooking and the food is warmed for some time.
The slow cooker I have is round and standard size. I could fit a 1.9kg/3.8lb leg of lamb I bought from Woolworths (Australia) into it because the shaft comes pre-cut to be bent to fit the slow cooker. It’s so practical!
This recipe is made using a small, whole leg of lamb. However, you can also use half portions that don’t include the shaft. They will fit in a standard slow cooker.
If you own one of those oval-shaped slow cookers, you can make this recipe with a whole leg of lamb! Roast lamb is a great dish, but the leftovers are even better—sandwiches made with gravy and lamb.
Gravy For Roast Lamb
While it is browning, we use the juices from the slow cooker to make a quick gravy.
There’s no need to make gravy in a roasting pot, as you would when you cook lamb in the oven. This gravy is super easy to make in a pan using butter instead of the drippings from the roasting pan. The juices from the slow cooker are also great.
Ingredients
- # Lamb leg bone-in, 2.0 kg (4.4 lbs)
- ▢ 1 tsp of salt
- ▢ Black pepper
- ▢ Two large cloves of garlic, minced
- ▢ Use 1 1/2 tsp dried rosemary OR thyme (or 2.5 tsp of finely chopped fresh).
- ▢ 1 tbsp olive oil
- ▢ Note 2: Use chicken or beef stock instead of the 500ml cup.
- ▢ Optional: 1 sprig of rosemary
GRAVY:
- ▢ Butter 50 g/3 tbsp
- ▢ 3 tbsp (40 g) of any white flour
- ▢ Strain 2 cups (500 ml) of the braising liquid in your slow cooker
- ▢ Salt and pepper
Instructions
-
- Place the lamb in a slow cooker or on a work surface. Sprinkle salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary, or garlic. Rub both sides with oil after drizzling.
- Add a sprig or two of rosemary to the slow cooker.
- (See oven version a SLOW COOK for 10 hours on low or pressure for 1 hour and 40 minutes on high. See the oven version here.
- The lamb should still be able to hold together when pulled with tongs but not fall apart. Transfer the lamb to a tray.
- Oil (any) can be used to drizzle on the top lightly. Bake at 200C/390F until golden brown or for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 mins before adding gravy.
GRAVY:
-
- You will get more liquid than 2 cups; I often have 3 cups. I was measuring out 2 cups of liquid and reserving the rest for later.
- Melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and cook for 1 minute.
- Mix the liquid as you add it. Add the remaining juice. If there are any lumps, whisk them.
- Cook on medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the desired consistency is reached. If needed, use the remaining liquid to thin.