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!
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!
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.
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!!!
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!
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!
Slow Cooker Roast Lamb Leg
Watch how to make it
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Slow Cooker Roast Lamb Leg with Gravy
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:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Contemplating being a stowaway.
I don’t want to come across as a snob, but seriously Dozer, if you’re going to stowaway on a boat, you can do better than that!!!
Wow, im a huge lover of lamb and I have to say that was one of the BEST lamb recipes iv ever eaten! My partner was blown away! I defintely have extra brownie points 😉 I’ll be keeping my eye out for your other recipes…keep the good stuff coming! 😋
Love hearing that Kylie! So pleased you enjoyed this so much! N xx
Made this for Easter dinner, soooo good!!! I did 1 cup of red wine and one cup of beef broth and really enjoyed that flavor profile! Thanks for the easy awesome recipe, it made holiday cooking easy!
FANTASTIC to hear Katelyn!! Thanks so much for letting me know you enjoyed this 🙂 N xx
I miss the days when you could google a recipe, go to the page and just see the recipe. Why does every page these days insist on telling me their life story before getting to the actual recipe? I dont care, nobody cares, dont make us scroll down two thirds of the page and search for the recipe.
Just because you don’t care, don’t assume that everyone shares your opinion!
Thank you Laura…. 🙂 N x
Hi John! Got a “Jump to Recipe” button built especially for this purpose, right at the top of every page 🙂
First time discovering this website and am trying the slow cooker lamb tonight. The 5lb leg will be done a few hours before the guests arrive, should I put it in the oven just before they get here or as soon as it’s finished in the slow cooker? I would love the meat to be crunchy and brown when they arrive. Cheers!
Prep time I meant*
Wow! Very well put and easy recipe! Keep time was approximately 5mins😊. Tell me who wouldn’t LOVE that?
Thanks Nagi.
I just got mine on now. First time using a slow cooker and first time making lamb like this if course. Fingers crossed it goes Well!😊
IT WILL BE TERRIFIC!!!! N xx
Hi Nagi,
This looks perfect for an Easter dinner without the stress of getting it right in the oven (especially when you have a baby)
Just wondering if I can use fresh thyme and/or rosemary instead of dried thyme? Also could I replace the beef broth with red wine?
Thanks!
Hi Cristel! You sure can if you want, but what I would do is as follows: Just 3 sprigs of thyme, pop it in the base of slow cooker to the juices get infused with the flavour, and pop 1 sprig of rosemary on top of the lamb. What will happen is that the flavour of the rosemary will “baste” the lamb as it sweats and wilts during the cook time. I don’t recommend putting the rosemary under the lamb because rosemary actually has a pretty intense flavour (even the stem) and I think the juices will have too strong a rosemary flavour which can taste a bit soapy. Then what you can do at the end is sprinkle the lamb with fresh thyme leaves after you carve it if you want fresh thyme flavour (really beautiful!) AND if you want more rosemary flavour, you can pop a sprig of rosemary in the gravy when you’re making it. But use caution! I can’t stress enough how strong the flavour of rosemary is, and slow cooking is quite different to roasting. For slow roasting in the oven, you can use quite a bit of rosemary no probs! On the red wine, what I would do is sub half the beef stock with red wine, but then I would add 1 beef bouillon cube (crumbled) into the liquid. That will make your gravy extra special! Hope this helps. N x
I was about to post same questions myself about using fresh rosemary and red wine!
I responded with a lengthy question! In short – yup but I have some specific directions on both because this is a slow cooker recipe 🙂 If it was the oven version, my answer would have been much simpler!! N xx
Thanks so much!! It turned out beautifully!!! I only put 1/2 cup of wine and the rest beef broth!! Was scrumptious!! I would probably reduce the oven time to 10mins next time as it got dried out a bit too much!! Do you by any chance have a leftover recipe as well? Thanks!!
Pan fry with some curry powder + cumin and fresh minced garlic with oil and stuff into flatbreads with lettuce and tomato and yoghurt = heaven….. 🙂 N x
Thanks Nagi – I needed a quick and simple slow cooker recipe to whip up while the baby slept and before I had to get into other organising and this was perfect. Tastes delicious too – my husband raved about how long it must have taken to cook! Simple to cook but with detailed descriptions on all the questions I had as I went! Love your work. Hope you are well – it’s great to see the recipe site thriving like it is!
LOVE HEARING THAT!! So glad you and your husband enjoyed this Rachel, thanks for letting me know! N x
Thanks for this recipe. I buy boneless lamb at Costco because that is how it comes. I slow cook it outside in the solar cooker and it is pretty good but I would love some gravy. I have thought about using just the accumulated juices, but hesitated because as you put it ” just the lamb juices is that lamb juices are very…well, LAMBY. 🙂 Too lamby for gravy.” So I will try making the gravy with some additional non lamb broth!!!!
Thanks for the tip.
I made this last night and it was perfect. My slow cooker tends to not be so slow and often it will cook a roast to mush, so I checked its temperature at about 6 hours and it was at 160 degrees. I pulled it and finished it off in the oven. Beautiful, tender an delicious. I have done lamb roasts in the oven and on the grill (flameups are a problem) but no more. From now on this is the way I am going to cook lamb.
So glad you enjoyed this Louis! Thanks for letting me know! N x
I left my 5.12 lb in the slow cooker on low for 12 hours and it’s hard as a rock. It is a semi boneless leg. Now what?? I’m frantic because this is dinner! Smells good though!
Hi Kalah – sorry for the late response! Is it burnt??? I am so surprised it went hard – I would have thought it would be overly soft!
Put the lid back on but afraid of drying it out.
Hi Nagi 🙂
I went searching online today for a lamb leg recipe that would cook in the crockpot and found yours. It’s Valentine’s Day and I really wanted a yum lamb dinner for my husband but it’s sooooo hot here in the tropics that hours with the oven on wasn’t an option.
Well, what a simple recipe – what a DELICIOUS recipe!
I served it with mash and greens, slathered in that amazing gravy. Big hit and now on the repeat menu list.
I used beef bone broth instead of stock in the crockpot and reduced the liquid by about 1/4 before making the gravy to intensify the flavours.
Thankyou for a brilliant Valentine’s dinner!
Blessings
Jenny
HAPPY Valentine’s Day JENNY! I’m so thrilled this was a hit for your romantic dinner! 🙂 N xx
Hi Nagi,
Could I use lamb shoulder instead?
You sure can Verity! Same cook time 🙂
Perfect as always – your site is my go to for meal ideas. Delicious and easy – love your work Nagi 😀
So glad you enjoyed this Frances! N x ❤️
Loved this but the leg fell apart so much it was difficult to place in a pan for the oven. Any suggestions?
Hi Sara! I use a large spoon or spatula to lift it out to put on the tray 🙂 You can see me doing this in the recipe video! N x
Thank you, thank you, thank you for making me look like I’m a roast guru 🙂 I’ve never roasted meat before (I don’t eat it) and my husband was very doubtful that I knew what I was doing but everyone loved it, especially my husband! Your recipes are so well presented and easy to follow plus the videos really help too. I made the parmesan crusted baked salmon for Xmas lunch and that was a winner too! Thanks again!
Ahh, it’s all you! You ARE THE ROAST GURU!!!
Incredible!! I’d give this 6 stars if I could. I took a 6-lb boneless leg of lamb and basically used the recipe X 1.5. Then cooked it on High for 8 hours, and it was arguably the most tender and flavorful piece of meat I’ve ever devoured. The gravy was easy to prepare and was perfect for the meat and also mashed potatoes.
I love hearing that Jonathan, thank you so much for letting me know you enjoyed it! N x
Thank you for the recipe the lamb was amazing! Everyone loved it,best recipe for lamb
So great to hear Lorretta!!
I forgot to add that the Slow Cooker Roast Lamb Leg recipe tasted even better on the second day. Yes, we actually had leftovers because we had a big leg of lamb and there were only 3 of us at dinner the first night.
Happy New Year.
So pleased to hear that Jim! Thanks for letting me know – N x ❤️
Greetings from Virginia in the US. I made your Slow Cooker Lamb recipe last month for the family using chicken stock and a 5.5 lb leg of non-frozen Australian lamb. It was fabulous with the gravy. It was so good, we’re doing it again this weekend for company.
We’ve also enjoy your Greek Slow Roasted Leg of Lamb. I was wondering, is there a way to use the slow cooker with the Greek Slow Roasted Leg of Lamb recipe to produce lamb with the same flavors (or, at least, similar flavors) as your Greek Lamb recipe?
We love your Mojo Cuban Pork Roast and Pork Carnitas recipes too. Really glad I found your site!
Hi Jim! Why yes, just slow cook the Greek Lamb in your slow cooker for around 10 – 12 hours until fall apart, then transfer to a roasting pan to brown it and reduce the juices. It may take extra time to reduce the juices because there is quite a lot of it! N x