Slow Cooker Sticky Asian Lamb

Name: Slow Cooker Sticky Asian Lamb
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 135 min
Ingredients: 2-3 lb lamb shoulder; 1/2 cup soy sauce; 1/4 cup hoisin sauce; 1/4 cup brown sugar; 1 tbsp Asian stir fry oil; 4 cloves minced garlic; 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar; tsp cayenne pepper (optional); 1 tbs toasted sesame seeds (optional)

By: Kimberly Grabinski Last Updated: March 20, 2023 32 Comments

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4.74 from 15 votes

This Slow cooker lamb shoulder is an easy and delicious way to get your fix of takeout-style Chinese food! The sticky Asian lamb is cooked until tender in a fragrant sauce made with hoisin, soy sauce, rice wine, and spices and is served over steamed rice. It's the perfect meal for a busy weeknight!

Slow Cooker Sticky Asian Lamb - Featured — Savory Slow Cooker Asian Lamb Recipe

Contents

🌟 Why this recipe works
🍽 Key ingredients
🔪 How to make Slow Cooked Asian Lamb
💭 Cooking tips
📖 Variations
🥗 What to serve with
🙋 Frequently asked questions
🧊 Storing and ♨️ reheating
👪 Serving size
📋 Recipe
💬 Comments

🌟 Why this recipe works

A slow cooker is a set-it-and-forget-it appliance that can make even the toughest cuts of meat tender and delicious. Lamb shoulder is one of those tough cuts, but when cooked low and slow in the slow cooker, it becomes fall-apart tender and full of flavor.

You can find lamb shoulder at most butcher shops or grocery stores and is relatively cheap compared to other cuts of lamb.

This recipe for slow-cooked lamb shoulder is seasoned with a sweet Asian-inspired glaze with hoisin sauce, garlic, and soy sauce, then cooked until it's meltingly tender. The aroma of the lamb will have your whole house smelling amazing!

The flavors of the Asian spice rub infuse right the way through the meat, making every bite incredibly flavorful and delicious. The meat is so tender that it literally falls apart, and the sticky glaze makes it irresistible!

Lamb dinners are perfect for a Sunday roast or special celebrations, but this dish is easy enough to make for a weeknight meal. Serve it over steamed rice or noodles, and you've got a delicious lamb roast dinner the whole family will love.

🍽 Key ingredients

What makes this tender roast lamb special is the combination of Asian spices that infuse into the meat as it slow cooks. The spices are easy to find in the Asian aisle of most grocery stores.

Slow Cooker Sticky Asian Lamb - Ingredient — Lamb Shoulder Cut

Lamb - Ask your butcher for a thick cut of bone-in lamb shoulder from the top front leg, as it is lean and full of flavor. You could also use boneless lamb shoulder chops, which will still yield the same result.

Asian marinade - A mixture of brown sugar, minced garlic, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, and rice vinegar are the main ingredients for the sauce that infuses into the roast lamb shoulder a sweet sticky flavor.

Additional seasoning - You could also add cayenne pepper or chili powder for some extra heat if you prefer and toast some sesame seeds to sprinkle over the tender meat.

Substitutions

Lamb

If you can't find lamb shoulder, you could use another cut of lamb such as leg or loin.

I chose an Asian inspired recipe because my husband and I both love Asian cuisine and he is familiar with it in case I needed help.

🔪 How to make Slow Cooked Asian Lamb

This slow cooker lamb shoulder is easy to make with 5 minutes prep time and 4 hours cooking time and only requires a few simple ingredients. Just follow the step-by-step instructions below to make the best lamb dinner EVER!

Preparations

Step 1
Mix the marinade ingredients in a small mixing bowl.

Cooking instructions

Step 2
Set a skillet over medium-high heat and add a tablespoon of Asian stir-fry oil or olive oil.

Step 3
Sear the lamb shoulder on all sides until evenly browned.

Seared Lamb Shoulder — Seared lamb ready for the slow cooker.

Step 4
Switch on your slow cooker and add the browned lamb shoulder to it with any juices from the skillet. Pour the marinade over the lamb and set the slow cooker to high, cooking for 2 hours.

Step 5
After 2 hours of slow cooking, flip the lamb, spoon over the cooking juices, and continue cooking it for a further 2 hours on high. Alternatively, you can slow cook lamb shoulder on low heat for 4 hours.

Step 6
Remove the cooked lamb from the slow cooker and allow it to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving or tearing the cooked lamb roast with two forks.

Step 7
Serve the slow-cooked lamb over rice topped with toasted sesame seeds, and spoon over the delicious cooking juices. ENJOY!

💭 Cooking tips

Searing the lamb

When searing the lamb, make sure that the skillet is very hot before adding the lamb shoulder so that the meat browns evenly.

Overnight marination

If you want to add extra flavor to the lamb, you could marinate it overnight in the fridge in a Ziplock bag before cooking.

Thicker sauce

If the sauce is a little on the watery side, you can easily thicken it up in a pan over medium heat until it reduces. As it reduces, it will become thick and sticky.

📖 Variations

Lamb recipes are pretty versatile with the seasonings you can add to them. Here are a few suggestions to give this lamb recipe a twist.

Cook lamb in red wine

Pour 1 cup of red wine over the lamb shoulder and sweet sauce. The wine will add a rich flavor to the juices and give you a dark-colored gravy.

Pour all the juices into a pan over medium heat and thicken the juices with 1 tablespoon of cornflower and 1 tablespoon of water. Then pour the gravy through a sieve into a gravy jug.

Add fresh rosemary

Stick a few sprigs of fresh rosemary into the lamb before placing it into the slow cooker. This will add a subtle herby flavor combined with the sweetness of the Asian spices.

Use Moroccan spices

If you want to give the lamb a Moroccan flavor, try adding 1 teaspoon of Ras el Hanout spice mix and 2 tablespoons of honey to the marinade. This will add savory flavors to the lamb shoulder.

🥗 What to serve with

Many different sides go well with this slow cooker lamb shoulder. Most commonly, mint sauce is a must-have item to accompany lamb recipes, but as this recipe already has a sticky sweet Asian sauce, it only requires some starchy side dishes and greens.

Here are a few of our favorites:

Cauliflower rice

Cauliflower rice is a low-carb alternative to standard rice with additional flavor. This cauliflower rice recipe is easy to make and has lime, garlic, and cilantro mixed into the rice to add layers of flavor and pairs wonderfully with lamb.

Mashed potatoes

A classic side dish that goes with any main course! This mashed potato recipe is fluffy, creamy, and has a hint of garlic. It's made with cream cheese, butter, and milk to make it extra decadent.

Steamed vegetables

A healthy and flavorful side to any meal. You can use any garden veggies you have in your pantry to make steamed vegetables, and when mixed with the delicious Asian cooking juices, they taste even better.

🙋 Frequently asked questions

What cut is lamb shoulder?

Lamb shoulder is a prime cut for slow-roasting, as it has the thickest and most flavorful meat. The thick cut from the top front leg of the lamb has a lot of lean juicy meat with a bone and rich marbling to keep it juicy and delicious.

How do I know when the lamb is cooked?

The best way to check if the lamb is cooked is to use a digital meat thermometer. Stick it into the thickest part of the lamb, and if the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit, it is cooked.

Is lamb shoulder or leg better for slow cooking?

Lamb shoulder is the best cut of meat to use for slow cooking as it has a high-fat content that helps keep the meat moist during the cooking process.

Do you have to brown lamb before slow cooking?

No, you don't have to brown lamb before slow cooking, but doing so adds extra layers of flavor to the dish.

🧊 Storing and ♨️ reheating

The leftover slow-cooker lamb shoulder can be easily stored once cooled and reheated another day.

Fridge - Place the leftover lamb shoulder in an airtight container with the Asian glaze and refrigerate it for up to 3 days. The glaze will keep the meat juicy and enhance its flavor of it, making it even more delicious.

Freezer - Place the slow-cooked lamb shoulder leftovers and glaze into a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze it for up to 3 months. When you're ready to eat it, thaw it overnight in the fridge.

Reheating - If you're reheating the lamb shoulder from frozen, then place it into a pot on the stove over medium heat and cook until warmed through. If you're reheating it from the fridge, then you can either cook it on the stove over medium heat or reheat it in the microwave.

👪 Serving size

This slow-cooker lamb shoulder recipe serves 4-6 people using the meat as a Sunday dinner with extra side dishes. If you're making a stacked burger with the meat, it makes 4 servings.

Slow-cooked lamb shoulder is a delicious and easy-to-make recipe that is perfect for any occasion. Whether you're looking for a Sunday dinner or a weekday meal, this recipe will fit the bill. The best part about it is that all you need is a slow cooker and some simple ingredients to create a flavor-packed dish.

📋 Recipe