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Home Collections Roasts

Slow Cooker Roast Lamb Leg

By:Nagi
Published:16 Nov '17Updated:18 Aug '23
483 Comments
Recipe v Video v Dozer v

Hands down the easiest way to cook lamb leg, this Slow Cooker Roast Lamb Leg is fall apart tender and incredibly succulent. 2 minutes prep, pop it in the slow cooker, brown it briefly in the oven while you make a killer gravy using the lamb juices. A roast made for sharing with family and friends!

After more lamb leg ideas? Browse all my roast lamb recipes!

The most succulent and easiest lamb leg ever, this Slow Cooker Roast Lamb Leg takes minutes to prepare. The gravy is incredible! recipetineats.com

Slow Cooker Roast Lamb Leg

In my world, there are only 2 ways to cook a leg of lamb: either perfectly cooked so it’s pink and juicy inside (see my classic Roast Lamb with Gravy), or long and slow so it’s fall apart tender.

There is no in between!

Well, there is. But it’s dry and no amount of gravy can salvage it. It’s also very sad. 😂

Fall-apart-tender slow cooked lamb leg can either be done in the oven or in the slow cooker. Click here for the slow roasted oven recipe, this is the slow cooker version!

The most succulent and easiest lamb leg ever, this Slow Cooker Roast Lamb Leg takes minutes to prepare. The gravy is incredible! recipetineats.com

I know it sounds counter-intuitive to use the words “roast lamb” and “slow cooker” in the same sentence. But actually, it’s the right description for this recipe because it is cooked in the slow cooker and finished off in the oven to get that beautiful browning. And also to reheat it, in case the slow cooker finished and it was sitting on the warm function for a while.

The most succulent and easiest lamb leg ever, this Slow Cooker Roast Lamb Leg takes minutes to prepare. The gravy is incredible! recipetineats.com

My slow cooker is a standard size round one and I was able to fit in a 1.9kg / 3.8lb lamb leg purchased from the grocery store (Woolworths in Australia) because the shaft of the leg comes cut so it can be bent to fit into the slow cooker. Vereeee practical!

I’ve used a small full lamb leg here, but it can easily be made with half lamb legs which don’t have the shaft so they will easily fit inside a standard slow cooker.

And of course, if you have one of those oval shaped slow cookers, you could make this with a full size lamb leg! After all, arguably one of the best things about roast lamb are the leftovers. Sandwiches with lamb and gravy. SO GOOD!!!

The most succulent and easiest lamb leg ever, this Slow Cooker Roast Lamb Leg takes minutes to prepare. The gravy is incredible! recipetineats.com

Gravy for Roast Lamb

And while it’s browning in the oven, we make a quick gravy using the juices in the slow cooker.

No need to deal with the clunkiness of making the gravy in a roasting pan, like you do when you roast lamb in the oven. Nope, this is a super simple one made in a saucepan using butter instead of the drippings in the roasting pan. And of course the juices left in the slow cooker.

All. That. FLAVOUR!

The most succulent and easiest lamb leg ever, this Slow Cooker Roast Lamb Leg takes minutes to prepare. The gravy is incredible! recipetineats.com

The most succulent and easiest lamb leg ever, this Slow Cooker Roast Lamb Leg takes minutes to prepare. The gravy is incredible! recipetineats.com

This is the sort of food made for sharing with family and friends. I know there’s something grand about placing a whole lamb leg on the table as a centrepiece. But a pile of incredibly juicy, tender lamb is just as impressive in my books – and there’s no need to pass the plates over and wait for it to be carved. Just dive right in! – Nagi xx


More Roast Lamb Recipes

I love a good roast lamb – so I’ve shared a few over the years!

Roast lamb leg with roast potatoes
Roast Lamb Leg with Gravy
Greek Butterflied Lamb Leg on a platter, ready to be shared
Greek Butterflied Lamb Leg
Slow Roast Leg of Lamb on a white plate with part of the meat pried off to show how tender it is
Slow Roast Leg of Lamb
Slow Roasted GREEK Leg of Lamb - Tender fall apart lamb made the Greek way! Super easy.
Greek Slow Roasted Leg of Lamb
Slow Cooked Lamb Shawarma is meltingly tender and has the most heavenly fragrance. Quick to prepare, sensational for gatherings! recipetineats.com
Slow Cooked Lamb Shawarma
Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder in a baking pan, fresh out of the one
Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder
Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder in a baking pan, fresh out of the one
Roast Lamb

Slow Cooker Roast Lamb Leg
Watch how to make it

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Slow Cooker Roast Lamb

Slow Cooker Roast Lamb Leg with Gravy

Author: Nagi
Prep: 5 minutes mins
Cook: 10 hours hrs
Total: 10 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
Dinner, Slow Cooker
Western
5 from 128 votes
Servings5
Tap or hover to scale
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Recipe video above. The easiest, most succulent roast lamb you'll ever have! This is not the carving sort of lamb, you can just tear the meat off using tongs.

Ingredients

  • 2.0 kg / 4 lb lamb leg, bone in (Note 1)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • black pepper
  • 2 large garlic cloves , minced
  • 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme OR rosemary (or 2.5 tsp finely chopped fresh)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cups / 500ml beef stock (or chicken) (Note 2)
  • 1 sprig rosemary , optional

Gravy:

  • 50 g / 3 tbsp butter
  • 3 tbsp / 40 g flour (any white)
  • 2 cups / 500 ml braising liquid from slow cooker , strained
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

  • Place lamb in slow cooker or on work surface. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, thyme or rosemary and garlic. Drizzle over oil, then rub on both sides.
  • Pour beef stock into slow cooker, add sprig of rosemary (if using).
  • SLOW COOK on low for 10 hours, or pressure cook on high for 1 hour 40 minutes. (See oven version here)
  • The lamb should be tender enough to pull off with tongs, but still holding together (just!). Carefully remove lamb from slow cooker and transfer to tray.
  • Drizzle lightly with oil (any). Bake at 200C/390F for 20 minutes or until browned. Remove and rest for 10 minutes before serving with gravy.

Gravy:

  • Strain liquid in slow cooker into a bowl - you will have more than the 2 cups of broth you added, I usually have over 3 cups. Measure out 2 cups of liquid, reserve remaining liquid just in case.
  • Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook for 1 minute.
  • Add a bit of liquid, mixing as you go so it dissolves. Then add remaining liquid. Whisk if there are lumps.
  • Increase to medium high heat and cook, stirring regularly, until thickened to your taste. Use remaining liquid to thin if required.

Recipe Notes:

1. Make sure you get a lamb that fits in your slow cooker! I have a standard size round slow cooker and I was able to fit in a 1.9kg/3.8lb lamb leg which had the shaft partially cut so it bends which I got from Woolworths. In Australia, you can purchase half lamb legs (also Woolworths) which come without the shaft /bone which will fit in easily into a standard slow cooker. If you have an oval slow cooker, you can probably fit in the lamb leg even without the shaft cut.
A 2kg / 4 lb bone in lamb equates to about 1.5kg/3lb boneless lamb, same cook time.
If your lamb is about 1 - 1.25kg / 2 - 2.5lb, you can reduce the cook time to 8 hours. If your lamb is larger than 2.25kg /4.5lb, increase it to 12 hours.
2. If you use chicken broth, the gravy is slightly lighter in colour. The reason I use broth and not just the lamb juices is that lamb juices are very...well, LAMBY. 🙂 Too lamby for gravy. I find that 2 cups of broth combined with lamb juices = perfect gravy flavour.
3. OVEN: See the Slow Roasted Lamb Leg recipe!
4. Servings - 2kg/4lb bone in is about 1.5kg / 3 lb of meat which reduces to about 1.2kg/2.4lb of meat after cooking. This serves 4 generously or 5 for normal servings (in my opinion!).
5. Nutrition - This is a conservative calculation because it doesn't take into account the lamb fat and drippings that are discarded (which accounts for plenty of the calories!). Unfortunately I don't know how to estimate that, so I've not made an adjustment to exclude discarded fat.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 357gCalories: 747cal (37%)
Keywords: Roast Lamb Leg, Slow cooker roast lamb, Slow Roast Leg of Lamb
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @recipe_tin.

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483 Comments

  1. Lisa says

    December 10, 2023 at 8:28 am

    5 stars
    So easy and delicious every time!!

    Reply
  2. Mandi says

    December 6, 2023 at 4:35 am

    5 stars
    Fantastic! Made exactly as written, gravy turned out fantastic too. Our first time having lamb, it was delicious. Thank you!

    Reply
  3. Justine Horton says

    September 28, 2023 at 4:39 pm

    Hi Nagi, wondering if I can slow cook this one day, fridge overnight then heat/brown in the oven for lunch the following day? Will it dry out, do you think? Thank you 🙂

    Reply
  4. Nancy Belz says

    September 18, 2023 at 4:45 pm

    Would lamb shoulder work?thank you so much😊

    Reply
  5. RP says

    September 16, 2023 at 7:44 am

    5 stars
    I’m never one to comment on recipes, but this is by far my most favourite recipe of all time. Have made it several times for family and guests and it is ALWAYS a hit. So simple, and the notes on adjusting cook time for different sizes is so helpful. The best roast lamb recipe, tender and flavourful meat. Will never do roast lamb any other way. Thanks Nagi!

    Reply
  6. Maria says

    September 8, 2023 at 6:56 pm

    5 stars
    LOVED this recipe! So easy and delicious. Lamb melted in our mouths! Served with rice and gravy. My only tip would be not to add salt to the gravy as the juice from the lamb is already deliciously salty – but that’s only minor – I’ll definitely be making it again and again!

    Reply
  7. Grace says

    September 6, 2023 at 11:06 pm

    5 stars
    That was great thank you Nagi. I added chunks of lemons for the lamb to sit on and slices of lemon on the top. Also added Lemon Thyme and increased the garlic to 6 cloves (I made incisions into the meat and pushed the sliced garlic into them.) The gravy was lemony and fresh – very delicious, and the meat fell off the bone after 7 hours on low.

    Reply
  8. Brianna says

    September 3, 2023 at 5:50 pm

    Hi Nagi,
    If I were to use a smaller leg like 1.2kg would it need to be on for 10 hrs or would you advise a shorter time?

    Reply
  9. KezzaMcD says

    June 23, 2023 at 5:46 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe is so easy & delicious. Set & forget. The family loved it. Don’t skip doing the gravy because it is the best! Thanks Nagi xx

    Reply
  10. Wendy BIDDLE says

    May 29, 2023 at 4:11 pm

    Love the slow cooker roast lamb leg with your roast vegetables. My 4 yr old grandaughter calls it The Gravy Dinner. New family favourite. So easy.

    Reply
  11. Marie says

    May 7, 2023 at 11:26 am

    5 stars
    The reason I love using Nagi’s recipes is because they never fail, ever.

    I cooked the lamb leg last Wednesday in the slow cooker and baked two crusted lamb racks in oven. I had 13 people at the table – aged 77 down to 8 – and everyone enjoyed the meal.
    Perfection all round.

    Reply
  12. Grace says

    April 27, 2023 at 8:55 pm

    5 stars
    Easiest thing I’ve made in a long time. So tender and no fuss. I paired it with Nagi’s greek lemon potatoes and it was delicious.

    Reply
  13. Lisa Nishikawa says

    April 8, 2023 at 9:06 pm

    5 stars
    Had a 5# boneless leg of lamb and made it in the instant pot. Followed the recipe without any deviation. Cut off quite a bit of fat but it was still moist and flavorful. Gravy was so tasty. Will be eating more lamb from now on!

    Reply
  14. Jo Butler says

    February 16, 2023 at 9:17 pm

    5 stars
    A fabulous weekday treat. The gravy was outstanding. The meat was so beautiful. Another new family fave!

    Reply
  15. Victoria says

    January 31, 2023 at 2:21 am

    5 stars
    Turned out delicious! Used this as the base for shepherd’s pie.

    I added half an onion to the slow cooker and a bay leaf.

    Reply
  16. Carey Goldsmith says

    January 15, 2023 at 1:03 pm

    5 stars
    First we will start with I am 50 years old and I grew up eat leg of lamb. Roasted traditionally in the oven. With the exception of tripling the garlic (but I do that on any recipe) everything about this was On Point! Cooked a “mini” leg on the crockpot for 8 hours as directed, the 20 mins in the oven. I am not sure I have ever had lamb that was “sheeddable” with a crust that you didn’t need to us a knife with! The favors of the gravy perfect pairing! My husband said, print it, save it, memorize it. Whatever you do DON’T loose how you made this.

    Reply
  17. Deborah March says

    January 11, 2023 at 3:08 am

    5 stars
    Yours is always the first cooking website I visit when I want to be creative in the kitchen. This slow cooked lamb roast is AMAZING! Thanks so much!

    Reply
  18. Sue says

    January 9, 2023 at 11:06 am

    5 stars
    Made this today, absolutely delicious, won’t make it any other way going forward. It was only 2 of us so cut lamb in half, froze the bone will make soup with that and will have the other half another time . Thank you for sharing recipe

    Reply
  19. Cathy says

    December 24, 2022 at 3:46 pm

    5 stars
    So … I still don’t like lamb. And this recipe didn’t change that. But my family absolutely LOVED it (apparently I’m the only one who just doesn’t like the taste of lamb, never have, apparently never will – if this recipe couldn’t change my mind, I don’t think any ever could). Thank you for always being there with the BEST recipes, Nagi! I spotted a lamb leg at Trader Joe’s, searched RTE for a recipe, found this, made sure I had all of the ingredients, went home and made it. My husband and both teenage boys devoured every bit! Thanks again, and Merry Christmas!

    Reply
  20. Kimberley D'Silva says

    December 3, 2022 at 6:04 pm

    5 stars
    Hi Nagi,
    A big thank you for this recipe. We tried it out and it was amazing. I would encourage anyone to try it. Fantastic.

    Reply
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Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative! Read More

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