Description
This Slow Cooker Lamb Stew is a hearty, flavorful dish featuring tender lamb chunks browned to perfection and slow-cooked with aromatic vegetables, red wine, and fresh herbs. Ideal for a comforting dinner, it develops rich flavors over several hours and is best served with crusty bread.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Meat
- 750 grams boneless lamb (1.5 pounds)
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 2 large carrots, sliced
- 2 cups baby potatoes, halved
Liquids and Seasonings
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 3 cups beef broth, warm
- 1 bay leaf
- 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare Lamb: Pat dry the lamb chunks thoroughly to remove moisture. Season them with salt and pepper, then sprinkle the flour evenly over the lamb and toss to coat well.
- Brown Lamb: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy bottom pan over medium-high heat. Add lamb pieces in batches without overcrowding and sear each side for 2-3 minutes until browned. Remove and keep covered to prevent drying out.
- Sauté Vegetables: In the same pan, add chopped onion, garlic, and celery. Sauté until the onion softens and turns translucent, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add Tomato Paste: Stir in the tomato paste and cook on low heat for 1 minute to deepen flavor.
- Deglaze Pan: Pour in 1/3 cup of the red wine and 1/2 cup of the beef broth to deglaze, scraping any browned bits from the pan. Simmer for 3-4 minutes to let the alcohol evaporate.
- Transfer to Slow Cooker: Place the browned lamb chunks, sautéed vegetables, remaining carrots, potatoes, bay leaf, thyme sprigs, remaining beef broth, and the rest of the red wine into the slow cooker. Check seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper.
- Slow Cook: Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours until the lamb is tender and flavors meld.
- Serve: Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Serve the stew hot with crusty bread for dipping.
Notes
- Always use hot or warm beef stock to keep the cooking temperature consistent.
- If adding mushrooms, sauté them separately and add to the slow cooker 30-45 minutes before the end of cooking time.
- For green peas, stir them in 15 minutes before the stew is done to retain their color and texture.
- The stew can also be cooked on the stovetop by browning the meat and vegetables in a thick-bottomed pot, then simmering covered on low heat for 80-90 minutes or until lamb is tender.
- For extra depth, garnish with fresh chopped parsley before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
