Slow Cooked Lamb Roast drizzled with Zesty Mint Sauce

Very few can resist the taste of a succulent lamb roast.

But let’s face it, sometimes the very thought of cooking a roast sounds like so . much . effort!

That’s why we love this recipe.

For the cook, it’s appealing because:

• The lamb roast is flavoured with just 6 ingredients (that you likely have on hand now)
• Any lamb roast will work (see below for options)
• It takes just 5 minutes prep (no need to wait for the weekend to make it)
• Using the slow cooker means this dish can be cooked in any weather (without heating up the house)
• No need to carve because it’s so tender the meat falls apart.

So, what are you waiting for?

Defrost a lamb roast tonight, and pop it in your slow cooker tomorrow 😊

We’d love to hear from you when you’ve made it.

Slow Cooked Lamb Roast drizzled with Zesty Mint Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 lamb roast, approx. 1.5kg *
• Salt and pepper
• ½ – 1 cup water *

Sauce:

• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 generous handful fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped (approx. ¼ cup when chopped)
• Juice and zest from 2 lemons (approx. 4 tbsp juice) *
• 2 tsp honey
• 1 tsp sea salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat a 6L (or larger) slow cooker on low for at least 10 minutes while you prepare the sauce.
2. Place sauce ingredients together in a small bowl, and whisk until well combined.
3. Place roast in slow cooker. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, and then drizzle the sauce over.
4. If using, add water to slow cooker bowl.
5. Cook on low for 8 hours*. The lamb should be fully cooked and easily pieced with a fork.
6.  Optional steps:
7. Preheat oven to 200˚C.
8. Carefully remove the lamb from the slow cooker and place on a shallow tray or pyrex dish.
9. Spoon several tablespoons of liquid from the slow cooker over the lamb.
10. Bake lamb, uncovered, for 10 – 15 minutes, or until browned.
11. Remove from oven, cover loosely with foil, and rest for 10 minutes before serving drizzled with accumulated meat juices.
12. Delicious served alongside mashed potatoes and a green salad.

Recipe Notes:

* The lamb roast can be bone-in or bone-out. Any roast can be used – a lamb leg, a forequarter (easy-carve) roast, or even a rib rack.

* Water is only needed if your slow cooker cooks on the ‘hot’ side. If you’re not sure about whether or not your slow cooker cooks ‘hot’, we suggest adding the water because it’s not worth risking drying out your beautiful lamb roast. (We don’t add it). Keep in mind that your roast will release liquid as it cooks, so you don’t need to add much water. Just enough on the base of the dish until your meat juices start to ooze. You don’t need the meat to be submerged for it to be tender.

* An oval slow cooker is the perfect shape for cooking a lamb roast – especially those with the bone in. But if yours is round, don’t fret, it may still work. Just make sure the roast fits into the inner bowl snugly and that the lid closes well.

* Depending on the roast chosen and the weight, times may need to be adjusted. A rib rack or a small easy-carve roast weighing 1 – 1.5kg will need 6 – 7 hours. A leg or larger easy-carve roast weighing 2kg will need 10 hours.

* We skip browning the roast before cooking because we finish it off in the oven. This reverse method gives a great result, just like pre-browning.

* Don’t waste all that liquidy goodness left in your slow cooker. Strain liquid through a metal sieve into a small glass dish. Cover and store in the fridge. This flavoursome broth can be used in future meals that require extra liquid. Will store for at least 2 weeks, providing there is a thick layer of fat sealing the broth.

Short on Time?

* The sauce can be prepared ahead of time and stored for up to 3 days in the fridge.

* The roast can be cooked on high for 4 – 6 hours. Just check the liquid level to ensure it doesn’t completely dry out.

* Skip the final step of roasting in the oven.