Fall-off-the-bone slow cooker pulled lamb recipe; this is an easy-to-make one-pot lamb dish that you can serve as a roast dinner, in burgers, tacos, or salads.
Cooking pulled lamb in the slow cooker is one of the easiest ways of dealing with a shoulder of lamb. There’s practically no work involved except for rubbing the piece of lamb with spices and chopping some onions.
The wonderful slow cooker or crockpot takes care of the rest. For more easy recipes with lamb, check out Slow Cooker Lamb Shanks (with Red Wine Sauce), Slow Cooker Lamb Chops (Crock Pot), Slow Cooker Lamb Ragu, Lamb Casserole in the Slow Cooker, and Lamb Shoulder in the Slow Cooker.
Why does this recipe work?
Super easy: Trim excess fat, rub the meat with the seasoning, and shred it once cooked.
Full-proof: I can’t imagine anything going wrong unless your slow cooker is broken.
Versatile: You can change the flavors by using other spices. And you can serve the slow cooker pulled lamb in many different ways.
Popular recipe with the whole family or guests.
Recipe ingredients
Bone-in lamb shoulder:
- This cut of meat is perfect for slow cooking. The shoulder is a tougher cut, benefiting from a long cooking time at a low temperature. The result is melt-in-your-mouth, juicy, and tender meat.
- The shoulder size is not crucial; you don’t have to be exact. Anything between 3.5 - 4.4 lbs/ 1.5 kg and 2 kg will need about the same cooking time. The ingredients for the rub will also be enough for the cut, no matter the exact size.
Ingredients for the spice rub:
- Our Homemade Lamb Seasoning or your favorite lamb seasoning. You can also use any other dry rub you like or season the shoulder with just sea salt, black pepper, and some dried herbs, like rosemary.
- Lemon: Using an unwaxed, organic lemon is preferable as you will need the zest.
- Vegetables: Three garlic cloves (for the rub) and one medium onion (for the pot).
- Liquids: Lamb or chicken stock and white wine.
How to make pulled lamb in the slow cooker?
- Trim the excess fat from the shoulder of the lamb. If the cut is covered with a very thick layer of skin and fat, I remove that as well; the cut has enough fat without that thick layer. However, depending on where you buy the meat, it might be trimmed or covered with a thick layer of fat.
- Seasoning: Mix the lamb seasoning with a bit of salt and pepper in a small bowl (See Expert Tips). Add grated garlic cloves, lemon zest, and juice. Rub the meat with the spice mixture.
- Chop the onion and place it in the pot. Pour the stock and the wine into the pot. Place lamb into the pot (1).
- Slow cook the lamb on LOW for 7-8 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours; the cooking time depends on the type of pot you use (See Expert Tips) (2).
- Carefully transfer lamb shoulder to a large dinner plate or platter. Shred the meat with a couple of forks. Spoon some of the cooking juices over the meat and serve.
How to make gravy?
The rich gravy is optional; I only make it if I want to serve the pulled pork as a roast dinner with mashed or roasted potatoes. You will not need it if you intend to serve the shredded meat in burger buns or tacos.
- Remove as much fat from the drippings as possible. Strain the lamb juices and pour them into a large shallow bowl. Refrigerate it for about 10-15 minutes; after that, it will be easier to skim fat from the surface using a large flat spoon.
- Pour the liquid into a small saucepan and bring it to a boil.
- In the meantime, mix 2-3 tablespoons of cornstarch with 2-3 tablespoons of cold water; you should have a thick yet pourable paste.
- Whisk the mixture into the cooking liquid. Let the gravy bubble shortly while whisking continuously. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Expert Tips
- Add a few sprigs of fresh rosemary or 2-3 bay leaves to the pot.
- The cooking time depends on your pot type; cookers with a ceramic pot (like mine) might need longer than those with a metal pot. Check after 4 hours on HIGH and 7 hours on LOW; the meat should be fall-apart tender. If it’s not, give it another 30 minutes and check again.
Prepare in advance
- Trim and season the meat and chop the onions one day in advance. Keep them refrigerated in separate containers.
- You can cook everything one or two days in advance, shred the meat, let it come to room temperature, and refrigerate it in an airtight container. Strain the cooking liquid and chill it in a separate airtight container. Reheat before serving (See below).
Recipe FAQ
Theoretically, yes, but I recommend sticking to the shoulder if you want to make pulled lamb. The leg is less fatty and won’t get as melty-tender as the shoulder during slow cooking.
Keep the cooking juices to add to the slow cooker pulled lamb when you reheat it. They will turn into jelly once refrigerated but will melt when reheating.
Refrigerate them in an airtight container for 3-4 days and reheat before serving (as instructed below).
Any gravy you might have made must be stored in a separate container.
Freeze in an airtight container or a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge and reheat before serving.
Place the meat into a baking dish, pour some tablespoons of the cooking juice evenly on top to keep it moist, and reheat in the preheated oven (250°F/120°C). Reheat for about 30 minutes or until the meat is piping hot.
How to serve the slow-cooked lamb?
Our favorite way is with Roasted Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes, gravy, cooking juices, and French-Style Green Beans.
You can serve the slow cooker pulled lamb the same way as pulled pork or carnitas. Stuff the shredded meat into burger buns, make wraps or burritos or make bowls.
Serve them with fries, sweet potato fries, corn on the cob, cornbread, baked beans, buttered rice, etc.
Salads: Coleslaw, green salad with Yogurt Dressing or vinaigrette, Curried Couscous Salad, Bulgur Salad with Chickpeas, or almost any other salad you like.
What to do with leftovers?
- Stir them with hot pasta or rice and some leftover cooking juices.
- Add to salads.
- Make a lamb sandwich, lamb sliders, wraps, tacos, or enchiladas.
- Use them to top pizza.
- Add to soups, chilies, or stews.
More melt-in-your-mouth meat recipes
Slow Cooker Pulled Lamb
Equipment
- Slow cooker or crock pot
Ingredients
- 3.5 – 4.5 lbs bone-in shoulder of lamb 1.5 – 2 kg
- 2-3 tablespoons lamb seasoning Notes 1 and 2
- fine sea salt to taste, Note 2
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 garlic cloves grated
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 medium onion
- ½ cup low sodium chicken stock or lamb stock, 125 ml
- ½ cup white wine 125 ml
Instructions
- Prepare the lamb shoulder: Trim the excess fat from the shoulder of the lamb (Note 3). Pat it dry with paper towels.
- Seasoning: Mix the lamb seasoning with a bit of salt and pepper. Add grated garlic cloves, lemon zest, and juice. Rub the shoulder with the seasoning.2 tablespoon lamb seasoning + sea salt depending on the saltiness of the seasoning + ½ teaspoon pepper + 3 grated garlic cloves + zest of 1 lemon
- Assemble the pot: Chop the onion and place it in the pot. Pour the stock and the wine into the pot. Place the meat into the pot as well.1 onion + ½ cup/ 125 ml stock + ½ cup/ 125 ml white wine
- Slow cook the lamb on LOW for 7-8 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours; the cooking time depends on the type of pot you use (Note 4).
- Shred lamb: Carefully lift the lamb shoulder from the pot and place it on a large platter. Shred the meat with two forks. Spoon some of the cooking juices over the meat and serve.
- The gravy is optional; I only make it if I want to serve the pulled pork as a roast dinner with mashed or roasted potatoes. You will not need it if you intend to serve the shredded meat in burger buns or tacos (Note 5).
Notes
- Seasoning: You can use our homemade lamb seasoning or the seasoning of your choice. Any favorite dry rub will be fine.
- Salt: The seasoning you use might contain salt. Make sure you check and adjust the amount of salt you add accordingly.
- Fat: If the lamb is covered with a very thick layer of skin and fat, I remove it as well. However, that might only sometimes be the case; depending on where you buy the meat, it might be trimmed or covered with a thick layer of fat.
- The cooking time depends on your pot type; cookers with a ceramic pot (like mine) might need longer than those with a metal pot. Check after 4 hours on HIGH and 7 hours on LOW; the meat should be fall-apart tender. If it’s not, give it another 30 minutes and check again.
- Gravy: Remove as much fat from the drippings as possible. Strain the liquid and pour it into a large shallow bowl. Refrigerate it for about 15 minutes; it will be easier to remove excess fat from the surface using a large flat spoon. Pour the liquid into a small saucepan and bring it to a boil. In the meantime, mix 3 tablespoons of cornstarch with 3-4 tablespoons of cold water; you should have a thick yet pourable paste. Whisk the mixture into the cooking liquid. Let the gravy bubble shortly while whisking continuously. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.
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