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Home » Recipes » slow cooker » Slow Cooker Lamb Shoulder

January 27, 2022

Slow Cooker Lamb Shoulder

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Slow Cooker Lamb Shoulder | Foodtastic Mom #slowcookerrecipes #lambrecipes #slowcookerlambshoulder via @foodtasticmom

Tender, juicy and picture perfect, Slow Cooker Lamb Shoulder is ready for your ordinary Sunday dinner or special holiday meal.

slow cooker lamb shoulder on platter garnish of artichoke hearts and lemon slices
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Boneless or bone-in lamb shoulder will both work for this recipe. My Slow Cooker Lamb Shoulder is unique in its flavorings. I wanted a roast that would look really pretty on the table for Easter. But my kids and I ate the lamb with mashed potatoes on a weeknight after I photographed it. We all loved it. So it’s perfect as an ordinary Sunday roast dinner as well.

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slow cooker lamb shoulder plated individually with a side dish of orzo pasta topped with feta cheese

What flavors pair well with lamb?

I looked here to find the answer. And here’s the combination I came up with for my cooking liquids and herbs for slow cooking my lamb shoulder:

  • Apricot Nectar – I took a gamble on this instead of using wine or broth and it really paid off! It made a beautifully flavored gravy, with just a hint of sweetness to compliment the other earthy, salty, umami goodness going on.
  • Butter and Flour – I’ve been using a microwave roux to thicken my slow cooker sauces and gravies and I am never looking back. It is perfection every time.
  • Artichoke Hearts – I use one can to cook with the lamb shoulder and one can as garnish on the plate. The garnish is optional but it looks pretty for serving on your table.
  • Capers – The salty, earthy flavors work really well with the lamb, apricot and everything else.
  • Lemon Juice – Helps to tone down the sweetness of the apricot nectar and lemon pairs really well with lamb.
  • Rosemary and Thyme
  • Salt and Pepper

lamb shoulder in package and bottle of apricot juice

How to Slow Cook a Lamb Shoulder

I used a boneless lamb shoulder that I ordered online because I was unable to find one locally. I was told it wasn’t close enough to Easter-time and also supply chain issues.

First, carefully trim off any large areas of fat from the shoulder and discard. Drain a can of quartered artichoke hearts and place them in the bottom of the slow cooker insert. Place the lamb shoulder on top of the artichokes and season the shoulder with salt and pepper.

slow cooker lamb shoulder in slow cooker insert layered with artichoke hearts and gravy

Make the microwave roux (find the recipe for that here). Whisk in the lemon juice and apricot nectar until smooth. Drain and rinse the capers. Stir the capers and dried thyme into the liquid. Pour the liquid evenly over the top of the shoulder. The liquid should come up more than halfway around the shoulder in the slow cooker insert.

Top the lamb with a few fresh slices of lemon and few sprigs of fresh rosemary. Cook the lamb on LOW heat for 8 – 10 hours, or until the meat is fall-apart tender.

ladeling gravy over the slow cooker lamb shoulder

Can you make Lamb Shoulder in advance?

I made my lamb one day in advance before photographing. My shoulder was pretty fatty, so I wanted to remove some of that fat from my gravy before serving. This is an optional step and dependent on your personal preference. I removed the meat, artichokes and capers into a bowl, covered it with plastic wrap and stored it in the refrigerator overnight.

Then I strained the cooking liquid (gravy) into a large measuring cup and also covered it with plastic wrap, storing it in the refrigerator overnight. The next day I was able to remove the hardened fat layer off the top of the gravy and discard. Then I microwaved the gravy until it was boiling, gave it a good stir and it was ready to go.

To reheat the meat and vegetables, place them in a pan and cover with foil. Then heat in an oven set to 300 degrees F for about 30 minutes, or until the meat is at least 120 degrees.

slow cooker lamb shoulder plated with a whole artichoke heart and orzo pasta

What to serve with Slow Cooker Lamb Shoulder

Orzo pasta goes well with lamb for entertaining. Cook some orzo according to package directions, drain it, then stir about a 1/2 cup of the lamb gravy into it. Sprinkle it with some feta cheese to serve. Pomegranate arils also make a great garnish for this dish when entertaining.

Alternatively, my kids and I enjoyed this lamb and its gravy over traditional mashed potatoes. Other options for sides and desserts include glazed carrots, peas, homemade dinner rolls, raspberry tart and blueberry pie.

lamb shoulder roast on a platter with artichokes and lemons

Kitchen Tips

  • I use a 6-quart Crock-Pot to test all of my recipes.
  • Find lamb shoulder here if you can’t source it locally.
  • Pyrex glass measuring cups for making the roux, storing and reheating the gravy.
  • Small whisk for making the gravy.

Foodtastic Mom is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Any highlighted, clickable Amazon link you see is an affiliate link that I may earn advertising fees on.

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Slow Cooker Lamb Shoulder | Foodtastic Mom #slowcookerrecipes #lambrecipes #slowcookerlambshoulder

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slow cooker lamb shoulder garnished with artichoke hearts and lemon slices on a serving platter
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5 from 4 votes

Slow Cooker Lamb Shoulder

Tender, juicy and picture perfect, Slow Cooker Lamb Shoulder is ready for your ordinary Sunday dinner or special holiday meal.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Greek
Prep Time 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time 8 hours hours
Servings 8
Calories 216kcal
Author Jill McOwen

Equipment

  • slow cooker

Ingredients

  • 1 lamb shoulder boneless, 3-4 pounds
  • 1 can quartered artichoke hearts drained
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 3/4 cup apricot nectar
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 3.5 oz capers drained and rinsed
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 2 slices fresh lemon

Instructions

  • First, carefully trim off any large areas of fat from the lamb shoulder and discard.
  • Drain the can of quartered artichoke hearts and place them in the bottom of the slow cooker insert.
  • Place the lamb shoulder on top of the artichokes and season the shoulder with the salt and pepper.
  • In a 4-cup glass measuring cup, microwave the butter for about 50 seconds, or until melted.
  • Whisk in the 2 tablespoons of flour. Microwave for one minute and whisk. Microwave again for one minute, whisk again. Then microwave for a third minute and whisk one final time. This is your roux to help thicken the cooking liquid. You don't want to microwave it for 3 minutes all at once because the butter and flour will burn.
  • Into the microwave roux, whisk in the lemon juice and apricot nectar.
  • Stir in the capers and thyme. Pour the liquid over the lamb shoulder and top the lamb with the lemon slices and rosemary.
  • Cover and cook on LOW heat for 8 - 10 hours, or until the lamb is fall-apart tender. Serve immediately with mashed potatoes or orzo pasta.
  • Follow the instructions in the post if you'd like to make this lamb shoulder one day in advance.

Nutrition

Calories: 216kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 1137mg | Potassium: 361mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 834IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 2mg

More Slow Cooker Recipes

  • Slow Cooker Sirloin Tip Roast
  • Crock Pot Cubed Steak and Gravy
  • Slow Cooker Curried Sausage
  • Crispy Crockpot Orange Beef
  • Slow Cooker Short Ribs

Found In: slow cooker

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sara Welch says

    January 27, 2022 at 9:11 pm

    5 stars
    This is everything a gourmet meal should be and then some! Looking forward to serving this for Valentine’s Day; looks too good to pass up, indeed!

    Reply
    • foodtasticmom says

      January 31, 2022 at 8:25 am

      This lamb will be a wonderfully elegant and delicious meal for your Valentine’s Day celebration. Enjoy!

      Reply
  2. Mirlene says

    January 28, 2022 at 12:10 am

    5 stars
    Love making this lamb for dinner. It came out so tender and juicy and so flavorful.

    Reply
    • foodtasticmom says

      January 31, 2022 at 8:23 am

      We loved it and I’m so glad you did too! Thank you for the 5-star rating. I appreciate it!

      Reply
  3. Anjali says

    January 28, 2022 at 1:09 am

    5 stars
    This lamb turned out tender and delicious!! Will definitely be making it again soon!

    Reply
    • foodtasticmom says

      January 31, 2022 at 8:22 am

      So happy to hear this! Thank you for taking the time to rate and positively comment on my lamb recipe.

      Reply
  4. Jacqueline Meldrum says

    January 28, 2022 at 2:52 am

    5 stars
    Another great reason to get the slow cooker back out of the cupboard again.

    Reply
    • foodtasticmom says

      January 31, 2022 at 8:21 am

      Yes, it sure is. Enjoy!

      Reply

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My name is Jill and I share simple and delicious, family-friendly recipes. I want you to feel super in YOUR kitchen!

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