Lamb Casserole in the Slow Cooker

Name: Lamb Casserole in the Slow Cooker
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 6 h
Total time: 6 h 40 min
Yield: 4 serving
Ingredients: 1 kg/ 2.2 lbs boneless lamb shoulder or leg; about 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 125 g/ 4.4 oz bacon cubes; 2 medium onions; 3 garlic cloves; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 125 ml/ 4.2 fl. oz/ ½ cup dry red wine; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 1 teaspoon dried thyme; 1 teaspoon dried rosemary; 2-3 bay leaves; 250 g/ 8.8 oz carrots; 750 g/ 1.7 lb potatoes; 750 ml/ 25 fl. oz/ 3 cups stock; 2 tablespoons corn starch; 2-3 tablespoons cold water; 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce; 1 tablespoon cider or red wine vinegar; Fine sea salt and black pepper

User Reviews

4.6

72 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
40 mins
Cook Time
6 hrs
Total Time
6 hrs 40 mins
Servings
4
Calories
897 kcal
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
American, Irish

Lamb Casserole in the Slow Cooker

Freya Patterson

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Incredibly tender lamb casserole in the slow cooker, this might be the most undemanding Easter meal you could possibly cook. More time left for baking cakes…

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Ingredients

Servings

1 kg/ 2.2 lbs boneless lamb shoulder or leg Note 1
about 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
125 g/ 4.4 oz bacon cubes Note 2
2 medium onions
3 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons tomato paste
125 ml/ 4.2 fl. oz/ ½ cup dry red wine
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
2-3 bay leaves
250 g/ 8.8 oz carrots 2-3 depending on size
750 g/ 1.7 lb potatoes
750 ml/ 25 fl. oz/ 3 cups stock preferably low-sodium or unsalted (Note 3)
2 tablespoons corn starch
2-3 tablespoons cold water
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon cider or red wine vinegar more to taste
Fine sea salt and black pepper Note 4

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Instructions

Cut the meat into large cubes, about 3-4 cm/ 1.5 inch. Dry very well with kitchen paper. Set aside.
Chop onions and garlic and set them aside separately from the meat. Chop the bacon.
Heat a Dutch oven or another heavy-bottomed pan. Add bacon. There is no need for oil, the bacon will render its fat. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring.
Add onions and garlic, stir well and cook for another 3 minutes. Add tomato paste, stir well for 1 minute.
Deglaze the pan with the red wine, scraping the bottom as well, for about 1 minute. Pour the contents of the pan into the slow cooker.
Wipe the pan clean with kitchen paper, be careful, it’s hot!
Place one batch of the meat cubes in a bowl, add a little of the flour, and toss well.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the Dutch oven. Fry the meat pieces in 2 or 3 batches until golden, about 3-4 minutes per batch, turning the meat a few times in between. Only flour the next batch of meat just before it goes to the pan and add a little more of the oil between the batches. Don’t overcrowd the pan or the meat will stew instead of searing. Transfer all the meat to the slow cooker.
Peel the potatoes and the carrots. Cut them into larger chunks. Place in the slow cooker.
Add thyme, rosemary, 2-3 bay leaves, salt, pepper, and stock. The amount of salt you need depends on the stock (Note 4).
Turn on the slow cooker and cook for about 6 hours on high and about 8 hours on low.
Once the meat and the potatoes are as tender as you want them to be, mix the corn starch and the water to obtain a thick paste. Whisk the slurry into the gravy. If the slow cooker is on high, the sauce will thicken almost instantly. If not, cover the pot again and simmer for about 5-10 minutes more until the sauce thickens.
Adjust the taste with salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and vinegar.

Notes

If the meat still has the bone in, look for a piece weighing about 1.3-1.4 kg/ 3 lbs, a little more or less is ok. Cut the meat off the bone and use the bone to make stock.
It is preferable to use bacon cubes and not rashers. You can also buy a piece of bacon and chop it yourself.
I had homemade lamb stock. Chicken or beef stock can be used instead.
The amount of salt you need depends very much on the stock you are using. It is preferable to use low-sodium or unsalted stock, just to be sure that the gravy is not overly salted. My homemade stock is not overly salted, so I take about 1 teaspoon fine sea salt in the beginning and adjust the taste at the end. Bought stock is usually much saltier, so you will have to be careful there, add less at the beginning. Taste the sauce during the last hour of the cooking time and decide then if the gravy needs more salt.

Nutrition Information

Show Details

Serving 1/4 of the dish Calories 897kcal (45%) Carbohydrates 69g (23%) Protein 72g (144%) Fat 34g (52%) Saturated Fat 10g (50%) Polyunsaturated Fat 21g Cholesterol 197mg (66%) Sodium 1413mg (59%) Fiber 8g (32%) Sugar 12g (24%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 897 kcal

% Daily Value*

Serving	1/4 of the dish
Calories	897kcal	45%
Carbohydrates	69g	23%
Protein	72g	144%
Fat	34g	52%
Saturated Fat	10g	50%
Polyunsaturated Fat	21g	124%
Cholesterol	197mg	66%
Sodium	1413mg	59%
Fiber	8g	32%
Sugar	12g	24%