7-hour slow cooked lamb shoulder that will MELT in your mouth

This is the perfect recipe to start cooking mid-morning then carry on with your day and have a delicious meal ready for the evening.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1.2kg lamb shoulder, bone in
- 1 carrot
- 1 brown onion
- 150ml balsamic vinegar (for lamb recipe)
- 1L reduced salt chicken stock
- 1 small bunch thyme (for lamb recipe)
- 1 tbsp corn flour
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 6 banana shallots
- 20ml olive oil
- 40g butter
- 50ml balsamic vinegar (for shallot recipe)
- 3 sprigs thyme (for shallot recipe)
Method
1. Start by seasoning your lamb with salt. Add oil to a heavy-base pan on a medium heat and place your lamb in. Seal your lamb on all sides until it has a good colour. This should take 15-20 minutes.
2. Once the lamb has good colour all over, remove it from the pan and set aside.
3. Dice your carrot and cut your onion into quarters. Then add them to the same pan and get some good caramelisation going.
4. Deglaze the pan with the balsamic vinegar. Then, pour everything in your pan into a cooking vessel of choice, add your lamb on top and your chicken stock. *note I used the domestic slow cooker set to low (these slow cookers normally run at about 80 degrees on low) but you can also just use a Dutch oven in the oven with your oven set to 80 degrees.
5. While the lamb is cooking, peel your banana shallots (being careful to leave the end on so they don't fall apart) and cut them in half (lengthways) and season them with salt. Pop them in a frypan with some oil over medium heat until you get some nice colour on the shallots. Add the butter to the pan. Once the butter is melted deglaze with the balsamic vinegar and add the thyme.
6. Cook the shallots in the oven at 180° for 15-20 minutes or until just soft.
7. After seven hours, remove the lamb from the braising liquid and pass the braising liquid through a fine mesh sieve into a pot. Reduce this liquid until the seasoning is correct. Add a small amount of water to you cornflour to make a slurry and add this to your reduced liquid.
8. To serve the lamb, pour the sauce over the top and place your shallots in the serving dish. Serve family style with a side of mash potato and some sautéed green beans.

[@michaelharris2844]

Finally a chef whose personality and ego doesn't overshadow their content and ability. You're alright bro 🤙keep cookin

[@wayne_3791]

Because he's Aussie, we don't take ourselves to seriously 😎 OK, he's actually KIWI but spent most of his time in Australia so WE CLAIM HIM!

[@AotearoaChef]

@@wayne_3791 no way, he’s ours. Cant claim Andy!!! Hahaha

[@justiceholiday6740]

Exactly

[@Andy_M986]

@@wayne_3791 😂

[@mercenary2975]

If you spend time both places we're all actually pretty similar. I'm a kiwi and some of my favourite humans are aussies ❤🍻

[@MultiSp2009]

Love the extra attention you put into talking about the potential pit falls and providing advice on how to address them. Most cooking channels just pretend we're all perfect cooks and will never encounter any issues when following a recipe. Thanks!

[@dutchgiggloff6590]

Couldn’t agree more, in culinary class they always talk the possible pitfalls of any dish 👌🍗👍🏿

[@NicoleM2108]

Agreed! I always run into the "too much carrot" dilemma with several recipes...I thought it was me and my "lousy" pallet. Nice to know chef also thinks there could be too much carrot also😊

[@tonymontana6823]

Morning Andy just woke having coffee and watching this nice little number.

[@BigBootyBatman]

What's the number?

[@sz7072]

Same! :D Having a cup of coffee while I look for video inspiration on what to do with that lamb I have in the fridge. Great video, thanks Andy.

[@heleninglis9961]

I love my slow cooker but have been getting a bit bored of doing the same recipes all the time. This is gonna go down a storm in my house! Thank you x

[@andy_cooks]

Yes 🙌

[@pilotmburu]

Hi Helen

[@TheOverdrive45]

This is probably a sign of me getting old but my god is that kitchen spotless and clean 👌🏼

[@andy_cooks]

Clean kitchen clean mind 😊

[@heleninglis9961]

I detest a dirty/messy kitchen! But alas, I've got 2 teenagers & an incompetent husband!!!🤣😭

[@susanlim5459]

Cleanliness is next to Godliness 🤣🤣

[@djebble1]

It's his work kitchen ya plonker, his home kitchen is even cleaner...

[@CLFS]

It's a sign we getting old my house can be a not messy but my kitchen is always spotless

[@MatthewLeathes]

I made this in a pressure cooker using half an hour at full pressure then natural release. Used less liquid: 100ml of balsamic vinegar and I would guess about 500ml of stock (I actually used some beef stock that was left over from making salt beef a few months back). Very pleased with the results; the sauce was stunning and chock full of flavour. Sadly don't have a slow cooker so can't do a comparison - but hey, I loved it and so did all my guests so who cares! Many thanks Andy, have a great Easter!

[@nathaliegache3862]

pressure cookers are magic, so don't worry about the slow cooker. I have both, and in my view the end result to feed a family is great. I always call my pressure cooker the Granny of microwaves! :) 🤣

[@norrishanna4113]

I’ve done something similar with lamb shoulder, 30 minutes in a multi-cooker on pressure cooker mode, just to get it started, then 1 or 2 hours in slow-cooker mode - to make sure!! Sauce/gravy was delicious. Much the same process but didn’t use shallots, other than in the mirepoix.

[@sujeevaranasinghe2190]

Chef Andy, greetings from Denver, Colorado! I bought the cookbook and have been steadily going through it. I made this for dinner today and served it with fondant potatoes. The combined flavor of the lamb, shallots, and the sauce was, just amazing!! I also baked some dinner rolls that were used to sop up the sauce. Next time, and there will be a next time, I'll make extra sauce just to dunk bread.

[@chynaizaszhowl3299]

Cooking this right now, so far it smells and looks amazing ❤

[@georgeasproukos]

We made this recipe tonight, bloody amazing - the only difference was I only had sherry vinegar and water as opposed to stock. The meat just fell off the bone delish!! Thank you Chef

[@cleetorres1351]

Same here but instead of cherry viniger we had the rose viniger . It was nice but wanna try with the cherry thanks

[@trudybryson107]

I made this on Sunday, and it was so good we were fighting over the leftovers. My son 12, loved this, I saw him licking the plate in the kitchen. He is a very picky eater. The gravy or sauce was sooo smooth. This is going to be our to go meal for the holidays. Thank you Andy. It's was sooooo goood.

[@juliesmee6467]

When a meal is soooo good to make you wanna lick the plate.....I always say to my partner if in a restaurant "they need a private licking room" lol

[@eshelly4205]

I do the cooking in our family. My wife is Greek and I am always looking for another Lamb recipe…THANK YOU! I cannot wait to surprise her with this!

[@monty2009]

Made this yesterday so delicious, such an excellent recipe 👍🏼 I added some anchovies to my final sauce when reducing for flavour and extra salt/seasoning, worked a treat

[@stephengossip]

I had this at Tom's Kitchen a few years back and it was incredible. Great to see how it's done. I'll be trying this!

[@themolka1]

Watching U eating this beautiful lamb shoulder is a torture. Greetings from Poland :) I'm starving :D

[@MrHairymick]

Made it today- out of this world!!! Thank you chef for your approach, inspiration, and recipes!!

[@styleyK]

Clearly and simply explained (presented) with no fuse or nonsense. Perfect! you have a new subscriber 🙏🏿

[@hoilst265]

This is genius; been looking for a good lamb shoulder recipe for ages, but haven't really had anything catch my eye. Definitely using this.

[@jimmygrant3349]

Cooked this over the weekend, was incredible!

[@LennefalkStudios]

Definitely great inspiration, just cooked lamb for the first time this summer and today got a slow cooker. Great combo of best worlds! 👌🍖😋

[@andrewward1787]

Just made this Slow cook Lamb for the 6th time. Because l have a couple of Rosemary plants here l used that instead of thyme, This Lamb is a family request every family get together, it’s absolutely AMAZING… Thanks so much Andy

[@ajitkirpekar4251]

A few things worth noting here: the reason it's 7hrs as opposed to 4 is because the slower you go, the more you preserve that texture where you get a slight chew before it breaks apart. Second: I like to stop it 1 hr early, cool it and fridge it so that the next day you can remove the layer of fat and solids from the top

[@Johnny-hj5kj]

Cooked this for dinner last night with friends and everyone loved it. Two shoulders, one in oven and one in slow cooker - both worked great. You know when you spend some time cooking something you don’t always enjoy it - not the case, I really enjoyed the flavours as well. Thanks Andy.

[@coldfusion5153]

how long in oven what temp

[@jmoz]

How long bro!?

[@alexcutler4738]

@@coldfusion5153 chef says 80C in the vid. Also would be ~7hrs.

[@zengirl43]

I put this in my recipe folder. It sounds fabulous and I can’t wait to make it. Thank you so much for your videos. After watching a video, I see no reason to look for another of the same recipe. You are always spot on and looking at another recipe is a waste of time!

[@Tanias112]

I often cook my roast lamb in my slow cooker; definitely going to try this recipe - looks delicious, thank you.

[@mitchfreeman6224]

Love how Andy actually eats his dish after preparing it. Instead of: here's what you need, how to cook it, presentation. Get in there! Enjoy it!

[@darronpreston2098]

The slow cooker, definitely the most underrated gadget in the kitchen, I would never be without it. My kids have had or will have one when they left/leave for university. More slow cooker classics please. I love lamb but never tried balsamic with it so guess what today's meal is going to be. Cheers Andy

[@murphymagic]

My wife is the most underrated gadget in my kitchen. Just saying

[@birbdad1842]

Not really underrated imo. It's a convenience item. You can do everything a slow cooker can in the oven or the stove with a simple cooking pot or basically any heatable and sealable vessel. The only thing a slowcooker has going for it is the low energy cost compared to the classics. Yet you need to play for a slow cooker anyway and it begs the question after how many uses you really saved money by buying one. It's definitely the technique that provides results here, not the gadget.

[@murphymagic]

@@birbdad1842 You sound like great fun..... I bet you re-use tea bags.

[@birbdad1842]

@@murphymagic I don't use tea bags at all. But if re-using tea bags is great fun, man I must give it a try.

[@murphymagic]

@@birbdad1842 dont use tea bags - you are not a person that can be trusted. I bet you have a goaty beard that you love and cherish like a small puppy. You make me sick.

[@wadebennette8327]

Will try this recipe thanks. First time watching one of your vids, I enjoyed the way you presented that. No frills, simple and down to earth its refreshing

[@terribethreed8464]

Thank you for sharing your recipe Andy.

[@SarahGraymatter]

Yummm You and the lamb

[@annadavis9735]

New subscriber! So glad I found you and this recipe. I love how simple you break this recipe down, the tips you offer and your style. THANK YOU kindly.

[@Mhmjui]

You have randomly been picked congratulations🎊, send a message to the name above on Telegram to collect your gift....

[@UmeshMistry1]

You are the MAN Andy! Love the Channel, keep up the great work!

[@lawrencetaylor4101]

I love the fact you made an individual serving, LOL. I LOVE lamb. This will be on my bucket list. Merci beaucoup.

[@peterkeilty9823]

Andy, I cooked this yesterday using your instructions as a guide and it tasted fantastic. Best informal lamb dish ever served with appropriate veggies for a late lunch on a cold,rainy, miserable Sunday in the UK.

[@goodgoog8143]

Love the content, it’s really refreshing to see an Australian cooking channel

[@andy_cooks]

Thanks 🙏

[@anonnona8099]

@good goog > Love the content, it’s really refreshing to see an Australian cooking channel Even one presented by a New Zealander....

[@sajarnitsa]

Very clear explanations, I really appreciate all the effort you put creating each video. You are a superb chef

[@mikef9609]

I cooked this yesterday as per Johnny below and as per ricipe and in the oven. Outstanding result, best shoulder of lamb I have had, thats a big call as I grew up on a sheep farm.

[@one4qv4re]

G'day Chef fellow Kiwi here just noticed when you were enjoying your slow cooked lamb shoulder that you and I eat the same way with knife left and fork in the right hand. Your videos and meals are awesome and so proud to have a NZ chef online. Glenn from Oamaru in North Otago

[@andy_cooks]

Thanks bro 🙏

[@JimWhitaker]

That's mouth watering. Great looking recipe and a very clear description. I shall try that next week. Thank you.

[@Mhmjui]

You have randomly been picked congratulations🎊, send a message to the name above on Telegram to collect your gift......

[@izstan]

How anyone can dislike this is beyond me. Simple recipe to follow, but with an outstanding result. Easily my favourite chef to watch on youtube.

[@robertholtz]

Spectacular. I just wish I could reach through my screen and grab a taste of that directly. Looks incredibly delicious.

[@paskrell]

Was working in a 3 Michelin restaurant. 19.5 gault millau. We always finished the jus with a tiny bit of arrow root (and heaps of butter - obviously). Try it!

[@byronfowler5988]

Mate it would be great to hear about your journey from beginning to where you are now … , you always mention bits but the chef’s journey can take you anywhere..!! Be good to hear how yours went down !! Love your recipes and content !!!

[@andy_cooks]

Thanks mate 🙏 will definitely get around to that at some point! It’s been quite the ride 🤣 that also involved a “Holliday” to rehab…

[@williamtrencher2052]

Chefs are absolute rock stars! Would love to know your story too Andy.. Had an adult apprentice at the butcher shop I work in, he is a qualified chef. He is now one of the best butchers we have! A lot of butchers and chefs walk a fine line with their vices, mostly the talented ones that have passion for the artasenal work we do. Thing's end up great for us hard working bastards mate!

[@barbaramcmillan3835]

@@andy_cooks you're definitely not alone. Tom Kerridge got to the top by replacing food with pints of Negroni. But he's all better now.

[@perfectstorm9259]

Looks yum, perfect single serve!

[@davidmason3299]

Amazing recipe flawlessly executed

[@lesliesagara8739]

Enjoy watching you cook and eat or serve Babe even though I’m vegetarian. I like the way you put it all together and savour the meats of your labour.

[@nataliesmith2458]

Love your videos and the recipes are actually doable in our own kitchens ! Thanks x

[@mselaineqott5]

Great cook ,love watching Andy , he makes it look easy. He knows so many recipes 😋

[@BlackLabelUnit]

Gave this a crack tonight for dinner. The sauce is absolute liquid gold, and the meat was awesome. Easy to do and great tasting.

[@evelynsolomon2929]

Looks so yum! Thanks chef 👍

[@lennonmurdoch3275]

What a great dish once again Andy, clean professional kitchen!

[@andy_cooks]

Thanks 🙏

[@lostsock9852]

I love lamb shoulder, it's so much easier to cook, and more flavoursome, than leg. But cooking it in a slow cooker is a new one on me. Great idea! 👍🏻

[@BIGEDSIK28]

Just started watching you from your YT shorts last night and love everything you do! Will continue to keep watching!!!

[@marcuscicero9587]

one of the top seasoned chefs that I am most honored to be able to view on KZbin

[@freudvibes10]

Lamb's shoulder is the tastiest part of the lamb for me. Australia and New Zealand are pretty famous for their lamb meat. I roast it in the oven for at least 5-6 hours, low heat, only with a little fresh rosemary and salt.

[@sycamore1955]

I cook mutton the same way, when it falls away from the bone it is done. Mutton has more flavour than lamb

[@barbaramcmillan3835]

That's because it's lived longer. I agree, but not everyone likes that strength of flavour.

[@qwertyqwert2772]

I love your videos ❤️

[@andy_cooks]

🙏

[@malaranu6883]

So clearly explained. Will definitely try it.

[@MS-tc9jo]

Fantastic looking dish. Will give this a go for sure. Thanks so much

[@mattg8888]

Definitely on my list. I am still a "younger" home chef and I really want to dip my toes more into the meat game. I am a vegetarian throughout the week and love making something special on the weekends. Thank you so much for this and also explaining how to make it at home with regular utensils!

[@tonigilsenan6320]

I am definitely going to be trying this recipe for the next whanau dinner thanks chef you're awesome 👌

[@andy_cooks]

Thanks bro 🙏

[@catherineburnside8610]

Great sounding. I love lamb and so interested in any new recipes ... especially recipes that aren't too fiddly.

[@stevenchan4488]

Love it, mate!

[@lostinaustralia-dave7802]

Great recipe Chef, I tried it at home. The thing I liked was that you were willing to retract your original carrot amount and chose lower volumes (so did I). I have found that carrots vary by region. Personally (and like you), it takes a few tries before I create a dish that I am willing to serve to others. Good work mate.

[@Mhmjui]

You have randomly been picked congratulations🎊, send a message to the name above on Telegram to collect your gift......

[@willemmeints3123]

Great video with a clear explanation. This is all about the process and the food. Love how straightforward you are. Keep it up!

[@mr_j83]

Definitely will try this!

[@mturkic]

Thanks Chef, will definitely try this one at home. And what a terrific kitchen!!

[@TheMultisportGeek]

A series on how to make sauces would be great. I didn’t realize that pro chefs don’t use cornstarch to thicken.

[@FinnaPassAway]

When you cook down a liquid in which meat and/or bones have been cooked in the natural gelatin from the animal will thicken it to a kinda sticky/velvety consistency that doesnt need any thickening agents but does require a bit of a longer time on the cooktop cause you are literally boiling off most of the liquid to concentrate the flavour and the gelatin in your final product

[@kamirator9215]

Yeah,most of the time we only use roux,beurre manie or reducing depends on the type of sauce.

[@Gabebox]

Yeah, I also wasn't expecting him to say that he doesn't want the lamb fat emulsifying into the sauce. I bet there are a bunch of "oh, woah" moments when it comes to pro sauces.

[@alipoon4854]

Using corn flour/starch to thicken sauces and even soups is very common in professional Chinese kitchens. I assume Chef here is trained in French cooking where the desired texture is a smooth syrupy sauce rather than the corn flour thickened texture which can be gloopy.

[@petergriffinson1907]

WHY CANT THEY USE CORNSTARCH TO THICKEN?????

[@zhijiawang9726]

A tutorial on mash please 🙏

[@tomevans4402]

Yes they looked great

[@soniamorandi5347]

Hello Andy you are the best! I'm your number one admirer! Bless you! 💖

[@stefanjames1811]

Hello Sonia how are you doing?

[@GlenMurrayonline]

Looks great. Thanks for the recipe.

[@gidelilah8027]

I had no idea that you worked as a chef in London for a while; I love your style of cooking and I can't wait to try making this dish. My late father was a chef in London in the sixties. I am currently living in Fulham.

[@dlittle108]

Hi Andy! I’ve never tried lamb but watching you prepare this I’m definitely going to. Love your content!!

[@FeelXable]

this is by far one of the most best cooks on youtube / tiktok, cheers mate and keep up the good content !

[@bushratbeachbum]

Bangin mate! Love it!!

[@mohork]

I hope you do an Irish Lamb Shank with mash potatoes someday soon.

[@Mhmjui]

You have randomly been picked congratulations🎊, send a message to the name above on Telegram to collect your gift..

[@babsbunny83]

Hi Andy, would the same ingredients work as well on a pork shoulder?

[@andy_cooks]

I don’t see why not!

[@FR-tb7xh]

Great question! Lamb shoulder here in the US runs about $12/lb right now, whereas pork roast is $6/lb. In addition to being cheaper, I’d far prefer to make the recipe the first time with the less expensive meat in case there’s a learning curve.

[@Watchugoton]

Looks stunning Andy 👌🏻👍🏻🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@janeb1438]

My absolute fave!

[@anonnona8099]

A leftovers tip - shepherds pie is by far and away best made with 50/50 chunks of cooked meat and freshly browned mince. Do it once and you'll never use 100% mince again. And if you can start the pie the day before, after frying the mince, strain off all the juices and put them in a small bowl in the fridge overnight. Next day, lift off the fat which will have separated and solidified. Resist the temptation to spread it on toast for breakfast 😁. Add the meat juices back into the mince, and use the fat in the mashed potato topping.

[@pleakhouse]

I love that Andy says “too much carrot” I’ll adjust the recipe. So rare

[@Mhmjui]

You have randomly been picked congratulations🎊, send a message to the name above on Telegram to collect your gift......

[@WetCigar]

Great delivery, great pace, great instruction. Thank you, much appreciated!

[@aimee-lynndonovan6077]

Good,easy recipe. Probably try it.🙌🏾

[@benatiga]

Leftovers??? Whats that??? Hahaha

[@gabyfridman7475]

Excellent. Thank You !!!

[@ruckers1624]

Absolutely love this channel and your shorts. Subbed!

[@Mhmjui]

You have randomly been picked congratulations🎊, send a message to the name above on Telegram to collect your gift......

[@simonbeech600]

Just made this for tea , it was absolutely fantastic and easy to cook . Thankyou 😊

[@AH-hm5js]

Great demo. Good one Andy.

[@paulybarnsie4975]

Looks amazing, will give it a try on the weekend.😀😋

[@teresaspensley5640]

OMG I love lamb. This look amazing, thank you🌟

[@johndowney8575]

I really love Andys channel top bloke and chef!

[@peterfalahee]

Love it andy well done looks beautiful

[@peteviney958]

Looks awesome. I love lamb. ❤️

[@leechrec]

The best ingredient is time. Looks delicious!

[@stephenbarbieri3269]

Yum! Can't wait to make it

[@petethefeet5281]

sounds great - will give this a try!

[@danielmargolis3210]

Looks really good!

[@umami0247]

As a chef I used rue often as a thickener but that’s the kind of food I was cooking. Enjoy your videos you are a great chef.

[@drakeblessum3466]

I’m going to make that this weekend! Well done chef Andy

[@cleetorres1351]

I made it and it was so nice I made it again but I don't know what to do with the carrots I'm allergic

[@derektomaszewski9226]

Algo recommended your channel. Great simple recipes.

[@Blackpumkin6]

This is where it’s at 🤙🏼 Sunday goodness

[@phukhue289]

Definitely gonna try this

[@trevorcottrell1228]

from a pro chef to a pro chef ,, well done , so refreshing to see a culinary stable cooked to perfection , matter of fact mine is in the overn for tonight , well done andy , regards trev .