Andy Cooks Balsamic Thyme Slow Cooker Lamb Shoulder

Source video by Andy Cooks on YouTube. This recipe was adapted with strict source-fidelity rules and is marked for human review.

An oyster cut lamb shoulder is seared off in a hot pan with oil, then settled into the slow cooker on a bed of mirepoix, halved garlic, thyme and balsamic-deglazed pan juices. A litre of low-sodium chicken stock takes it to about three-quarters of the way up the meat, leaving the golden seared crust proud of the liquid. Seven hours on low. While the lamb finishes, banana shallots are pan-seared and finished in a hot oven with butter and balsamic. The braising liquid is strained, skimmed, reduced for around 25 minutes and tightened with a cornflour slurry. Serve family-style over mash with the shallots and a scatter of picked thyme.

Ingredients

• oyster cut lamb shoulder, patted dry
• neutral cooking oil
• fine salt, for seasoning the lamb before searing
• 1 carrotcarrot, sliced on the angle, unpeeled
• onion, peeled and quartered
• 1 headgarlic, halved across the equator
• fresh thyme, tied in a bundle
• balsamic vinegar, for deglazing
• 1 Llow-sodium chicken stock

• banana shallots, peeled with the core left intact (add late)
• olive oil, light drizzle (add late)
• butter (add late)
• fresh thyme sprigs (add late)
• balsamic vinegar (add late)

• cornflour, slaked in cold water (add late)

Method

1. Pat the lamb shoulder dry and season generously with salt only (pepper burns during the sear).

   ~2 min

2. Heat a decent amount of oil in a heavy frying pan and sear the lamb shoulder fat-side down for 10 to 15 minutes, turning to colour all sides deeply.

   ~15 min

3. Remove the lamb, then in the same pan colour the carrot and onion, add the halved head of garlic flesh-side down and the tied thyme bundle.

   ~7 min

4. Deglaze with balsamic vinegar, then pour the contents of the pan into the bottom of the slow cooker.

   ~1 min

5. Sit the lamb shoulder on top of the vegetables and pour in the chicken stock to about three-quarters up the meat, leaving the golden crust proud of the liquid.

   ~2 min

6. Lid on, slow cooker on low for 7 hours.

   ~420 min

7. Near the end of the cook, season the peeled banana shallots with salt. Drizzle olive oil into a hot ovenproof pan, put the shallots in skin-side down for 2 to 3 minutes, then add butter and let it brown.

   ~5 min

8. Add thyme sprigs and balsamic vinegar to the shallot pan, then move it to a 180C oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until a knife slides through but the shallots still hold their shape.

   ~20 min

9. Lift the lamb out of the slow cooker carefully onto a tray. Pass the braising liquid through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan and skim any fat from the surface.

   ~5 min

10. Reduce the strained liquid on a gentle boil, tasting every 5 to 6 minutes, for around 25 minutes until the seasoning sits where you want it.

    ~25 min

11. Optional: slake cornflour in cold water, then whisk into the simmering sauce to tighten.

    ~2 min

12. Carry the lamb to a serving dish, pour the sauce over generously, top with the roasted shallots and finish with picked thyme leaves. Serve family-style with mash.

    ~3 min

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