Lamb is the protein of choice when it comes to slow cooking. As always, it’s the secondary cuts that will be your saviour, provided you have a bit of time on your side. Whether you want to throw a lamb shoulder in the slow cooker or slow roast a lamb leg in the oven, a slow-cooked cut of lamb results in magnitudes of flavour.
Our lamb shoulder with Israeli couscous and labne delivers tender, fall-apart meat, as does Shane Delia’s recipe for 12-hour roast lamb shoulder with pistachio and green-olive tabbouleh. Plus, pasta master Sarah Cicolini’s fusilli with lamb ragù, heady with garlic and lemon rind, is not to be overlooked — and we recommend serving with plenty of cracked pepper.
We also have recipes such as a comforting Greek lamb stew and Iranian-style lamb shoulder on the bone served with spiced rice. There’s also lamb cooked slowly in stews, in braises, in curries – the hard bit will be deciding which lamb recipe for the slow cooker to choose.
The best slow-cooked lamb recipes to cook this winter
Calabrian chilli and lamb stracci pasta
Calabrian jarred chilli, a popular pantry staple, adds depth and kick to this ragù.
Fennel-spiced lamb ribs with goat’s curd tzatziki
Flavours of aniseed bring a sweet side to these Greek-style lamb ribs.
Slow-cooked lamb shoulder with rosemary pesto
Succulent lamb with a swipe of this herbaceous rosemary pesto is a flavourful take on the classic Sunday roast.
Slow-cooked lamb shoulder with black garlic and mint persillade
A timeless slow-cooked lamb recipe that hits all the right high notes.
Lamb ragù pappardelle with pumpkin
Pumpkin and slow-cooked lamb with pasta? That’s cold weather comfort in a bowl.
Slow-roasted lamb shoulder with Brussels sprout slaw
The weekend roast you need.
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Sarah Cicolini’s fusilli con ragù di agnello (fusilli with lamb ragù)
Finish with a little grated lemon zest to freshen up this classic pasta dish.
Lamb korma
Korma curry came about during the Mughul Empire in India. It’s usually a mild curry, although some versions include Kashmiri chilli to add a little heat, which we’ve done here.
Greg Malouf’s baharat lamb shoulder with onions and moghrabieh
“Lamb rubbed with spices and cooked slowly is quite a traditional preparation in the Middle East,” says Greg Malouf. “Served with moghrabieh, giant couscous, this is a great dish to put in the middle of the table with some yoghurt and away you go.”
Phil Wood’s lamb with roast-apple chutney
With a bit of time and love, this slow lamb roast will be the star of the dinner table.
Lamb neck and anchovy pies
Lamb neck is full of flavour and makes a rich filling for these mini pies.
Roast lamb neck with kale, feta and dill
The classic pot roast lamb gets a contemporary kick with kale, feta and dill.
Slow-cooked spiced lamb with prunes
A simple stove-top lamb stew, with the warmth of the spices tempered by the sweetness of the honey and prunes.
Templo’s lamb belly with pearl barley
Beat the winter chill with this warming roast lamb recipe from Templo.
Guy Grossi’s abbacchio alla Romana
This is Guy Grossi’s version of the classic roast lamb. Serve it up with some polenta or pepperonata.
Shane Delia’s 12-hour roast lamb with pistachio and green-olive tabbouleh
Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for 12-hour roast lamb with pistachio and green-olive tabbouleh by Shane Delia from Melbourne restaurant Maha.
Braised pumpkin and lamb neck
This Moroccan-inspired dish is simple to throw together – all it needs is a little couscous on the side.
Greek-style lamb shoulder and bean stew
Hearty chunks of lamb and gorgeous green beans – a match made in culinary heaven.
Lamb shanks baked in paper with olives and red wine
The best way to season lamb shanks? Wrap them with whatever aromatics you choose and let the flavours mingle as your parcels bake.
Lamb, fennel and Manchego pie
Comfort food at its finest.
Sean McConnell’s slow-roasted lamb shoulder with pistachios, pomegranate and vine leaves
Recipe for slow-roasted lamb shoulder with pistachios, pomegranate and vine leaves by Sean McConnell from Monster in Canberra.
Paul Carmichael’s curried lamb leg
Restaurant Momofuku Seiobo chef Paul Carmichael slow-cooks his curried lamb leg “until it falls off the bone.” It’s as excellent as it sounds.
Tom McHugo’s lamb and duchess potato pie
Like a shepherd’s pie, but luxe.
Shawarma-spiced roast lamb leg with beetroot sauce
For a spicy twist on the traditional lamb roast, our Shawarma-spiced leg with beetroot sauce adds an authentic share dish for the whole table.
Buttermilk-brined lamb shoulder with harissa
Buttermilk-brined lamb shoulder with harissa recipe – For the buttermilk brine, place salt and 600ml water in a saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring until salt dissolves.
Iranian-style lamb shoulder with cranberry and pistachio spiced rice
Our recipe for Iranian-style lamb shoulder with cranberry and pistachio spiced rice.
Pinbone’s lamb shoulder ragù with gnocchetti
Could this be the hit dish from Pinbone’s Italian pop-up, Mr Liquor’s Dirty Italian Disco? It certainly gets a vote from us.
Rick Shores’ slow roasted lamb shoulder with yellow bean, cumin and chilli
Ben Berei’s slow-roasted lamb’s shoulder at Rick Shores is packed with spice.
Andew McConnell’s lamb with cumin
Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for Lamb with cumin from Andrew McConnell, Golden Fields
Jonathan Barthlemess’s slow-roasted spiced lamb with tzatziki and lemon potatoes
Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for slow-roasted spiced lamb.
Eight-hour lamb shoulder with pearl couscous and labne
The ultimate Sunday roast.
Lamb shawarma
A big cut that will satisfy a crowd every time.
Twelve-hour spiced lamb shoulder with saffron pilaf
This dish goes to show that slow-cooked and steady wins the race.
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