Description

This Slow Cooker Lamb Stew is a hearty and comforting dish featuring tender lamb chunks slow-cooked with vegetables, red wine, and aromatic herbs. Perfect for a cozy meal, it combines seared lamb, sautéed aromatics, and rich beef broth simmered to perfection over several hours, resulting in a flavorful and satisfying stew best served with crusty bread.

Ingredients

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Meat and Coating

750 grams boneless lamb (1.5 pounds)
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons oil

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

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

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Instructions

Prepare Lamb: Pat dry the lamb chunks thoroughly to remove excess moisture. Season them evenly with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the flour over the lamb and toss to coat all pieces well, which will help in browning.
Brown Lamb: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. In batches, place the lamb chunks in the pan without overcrowding. Sear each side for 2-3 minutes until browned. Remove browned lamb and cover to keep warm.
Sauté Aromatics: In the same pan, add chopped onion, minced garlic, and celery. Sauté until onions are softened and lightly translucent, about 4-5 minutes.
Add Tomato Paste: Stir in the tomato paste and cook on low heat for 1 minute to deepen the flavor.
Deglaze Pan: Pour in 1/3 cup of the red wine and ½ cup of warm beef broth to the pan. Scrape any browned bits off the bottom to incorporate the fond into the liquid. Let it simmer for 3-4 minutes until the alcohol smell dissipates.
Combine in Slow Cooker: Transfer the browned lamb, sautéed aromatics, remaining carrots, baby potatoes, bay leaf, thyme, and the rest of the beef broth and red wine into the slow cooker. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
Slow Cook: Cover and cook on low heat for 8 hours or on high heat for 4 hours, until the lamb is fork-tender and vegetables are soft.
Serve: Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Serve the stew hot with crusty bread on the side.
Optional Stove Top Method: Follow the same steps for browning and sautéing in a thick-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven. After deglazing, add all ingredients, bring to a near boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low. Cover and simmer for 80-90 minutes until lamb is tender. Alternatively, finish cooking in the oven until lamb is fork-tender.

Notes

Always use hot or warm beef stock to maintain temperature during cooking and improve flavor extraction.
If adding mushrooms, sauté separately and stir into the stew 30-45 minutes before cooking ends to prevent overcooking.
Green peas should be added in the last 15 minutes to retain their color and texture.
For a thicker stew, you can mash some of the potatoes or thicken with an additional spoonful of flour stirred into cold water then added during the last hour of cooking.
Using red wine enhances the richness, but it can be substituted with extra beef broth if preferred.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 450 kcal
Sugar: 6 g
Sodium: 600 mg
Fat: 20 g
Saturated Fat: 8 g
Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 30 g
Fiber: 5 g
Protein: 35 g
Cholesterol: 90 mg