Learn how to make lamb stock with roasted lamb bones and vegetables, which is the perfect base for soups, stews, or sauces.
Making this lamb stock recipe is super easy, healthy, and delicious. It’s also a great way to use up any leftover fresh or roasted lamb bones. All you need are the bones, a few vegetables, some spices, and water.
After a few hours of gentle simmering, you’ll have a flavorful, brightly colored stock - perfect for soups, stews, or sauces. You can use it to make this Lamb Bone Soup or Leftover Lamb Ragout.
Simmer the lamb stock a few hours longer to get an amazing, concentrated lamb bone broth.
Featured comment:
Donald: Extraordinarily thorough recipe...I was pleased to learn that I can combine lamb bones with chicken bones for a milder-tasting lamb broth.
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Recipe ingredients
Lamb bones: Use raw, meaty bones or roasted ones leftover from dishes like Oven-Baked Lamb Shoulder or Roasted Leg of Lamb - any bones you have will work.
- If using fresh bones, roast them first for more flavor.
- Meaty bones can be simmered raw; after about 2 hours, remove the meat for soup and return the bones to the pot to continue simmering for a richer broth.
- Not enough lamb bones? Add beef, chicken, or turkey bones - the flavor will be milder but still delicious.
Vegetables: The usual broth veggies - onion, garlic, celeriac or celery stalks, carrots, and parsley stems. Leeks or spring onion greens are great additions, too.
- Vegetable scraps work great, especially if they’re organic. I save carrot peels and ends, wilted green onion tops, parsley stems, and even clean onion skins to use in stock.
Spices: Salt, peppercorns, juniper, allspice, cloves, and bay leaves. Use as many as you have; even just salt, pepper, and bay leaves will do. They add depth, but the stock will still taste great without them.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make lamb stock?
If using fresh bones, roast them first. Preheat the oven to 400°F/ 200°C, line a tray with foil or parchment, rub the bones with oil, and roast for 40 minutes, turning halfway, until browned.
Meaty fresh bones can be simmered raw. After 2 hours, remove the meat for soup, return the bare bones to the pot, and keep simmering for a richer broth.
Step #1: If using leftover bones from making a roast, place them in a large pot, add vegetables, and spices. Cover them with cold water.
Step #2: Bring to a gentle simmer without boiling. Skim off the foam, then add salt. Simmer gently for 5–6 hours.
For lamb bone broth, simmer everything for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours. I usually start in the morning and turn off the heat before bed.
Step #3: Once ready, strain the stock into a clean pot to remove solids. For a clearer broth, strain again through a fine sieve or cheesecloth. Taste and adjust the salt.
Step #4: Let cool completely, then refrigerate for about 12 hours. Remove the solidified fat with a slotted spoon.
Tip: Always discard the fat from lamb or beef stock - it has an unpleasant, soapy flavor.
Lamb stock in the slow cooker
Place the roasted bones, vegetables, and spices into the slow cooker. Add water up to the max fill line. Cook on low for 12 hours. Strain and store.
Tips for making a good stock
Roasting at least some of the bones is recommended - they add much more flavor. If using fresh meaty bones for soup, be sure to include some roasted ones as well.
Always start with cold water - never warm. Slowly heating helps keep the broth clear. Avoid boiling; a steady, gentle simmer is best for clarity.
As it starts to simmer, skim off the foam with a slotted spoon. This removes excess protein, fat, and bone bits, leading to a cleaner stock. If the broth turns cloudy, don’t worry - it will still taste the same, just won’t look as nice.
Strain the finished stock well - first to remove the large bits, then again through a fine sieve lined with cheesecloth to catch any fine particles.
Make more homemade stocks or broths, such as the chicken stock I always make for Semolina Dumpling Soup or any other chicken soup I make, turkey bone broth, venison broth, salmon stock, or beef broth.
How to store?
Lamb stock or bone broth (and any other kind) can be stored in the fridge for up to one week, or it can be frozen for at least 4 to 6 months.
Freeze in airtight containers suitable for freezing or in ice cube trays. Freezing it in cubes allows you to remove only a small amount if you need it to make sauce or add extra flavor to various dishes.
Lamb stock uses
Make hearty soups with meat, vegetables, any pulses, potatoes, grains, and rice. Use it for risottos and gravy to serve with meat and potatoes. You can add it to other dishes like Leftover Lamb Shepherd's Pie, for instance.
Recipe
Lamb Stock
Equipment
- Very large pot or slow cooker/crockpot
- Slotted spoon
- Baking sheet if you need to roast the bones first
- Large jars
Ingredients
- 2.5-3.3 lbs lamb bones Notes 1 and 2
- 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 large carrots
- 3 pieces of celeriac 5.5 oz/ 150 g or 3-4 celery stalks
- 1 large onion
- 3-4 garlic cloves
- 1 small bunch of parsley or only the stems from a larger bunch
- 3-4 bay leaves
- 10 black peppercorns
- 5-6 juniper berries
- 5-6 allspice berries
- 6 cloves
- 10-12 cups cold water enough to cover the ingredients completely
- ¾ tablespoon coarse sea salt
Instructions
Lamb stock:
- Roast fresh bones: If the bones are fresh, preheat the oven to 400°F/ 200°C. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Rub the bones with the oil and roast for about 40 minutes until deeply brown. Transfer to a large pot together with the released juices.2.5-3.3 lbs lamb bones + 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Clean the vegetables very thoroughly. Snap the carrots in two, halve the onion (no need to peel), and leave the garlic cloves whole (no need to peel). Cut the celeriac into 2 or 3 larger pieces. Add all to the pot. Add parsley, bay leaves, peppercorns, juniper, and allspice berries.2 large carrots + 3 pieces of celeriac + 1 large onion + 3-4 garlic cloves + 1 small bunch of parsley + 3-4 bay leaves + 10 black peppercorns + 5-6 juniper berries + 5-6 allspice berries + 6 cloves
- Simmer: Cover with plenty of water. Gently bring to a simmer, don’t let it boil. Remove the foam with a slotted spoon. Only add the salt now. Let the stock simmer steadily for 5-6 hours.10-12 cups cold water + ¾ tablespoon coarse sea salt
- Strain: Once it’s ready, strain into a clean pot to remove the solids. Strain again through a finer sieve (you can line it with cheesecloth for even better results).
- Taste and add salt as required, you can always add more salt when cooking with the stock, so don’t add too much now.
- Remove fat: Let cool completely and refrigerate for about 12 hours. Now you can remove the solid fat with a slotted spoon.
- Store: Transfer the stock to jars and refrigerate for up to one week. Or freeze in suitable containers for up to 6 months.
Lamb bone broth:
- Simmer for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours. Strain and store as instructed above.
Slow cooker instructions:
- Fill the slow cooker: Add the roasted bones and solid ingredients to the slow cooker/crockpot. Add water as instructed in the instruction manual; there is usually a mark in the pot showing you where to stop.
- Cook on low for 12 hours. Strain and store as instructed above.
Notes
- The bones: You can use leftover roasted bones or fresh ones. If using fresh, you should roast them. If you want to make lamb soup, use at least one meaty bone. Simmer for about 2 hours, remove the meat from the bone, and reserve it for the soup. Return the meatless bones to the pot and continue simmering the stock.
- If you don’t have enough lamb bones, add some beef, chicken, or turkey bones, either leftovers from making a roast or roasted for making the stock.
Donald Kidd says
Extraordinarily thorough recipe...I was pleased to learn that I can combine lamb bones with chicken bones for a milder tasting lamb broth.
Adina says
I am glad to hear it.
Assia says
Hi there, for the stove-top method when making bone broth, do you put a lid on the entire time? Thank you in advance.
Adina says
Hi Assia. No lid.