Slow cooker curried leg of lamb (in foil)

This slow cooker curried leg of lamb (in foil) is surprisingly simple to prepare and is packed with flavourful spices. Inspired by how we made curry in South Africa, it features a blend of curry spices and fruit chutney, creating a mild fruity curry flavour that's suitable for the entire family to enjoy.

This recipe came about quite by chance. I was so delighted by the way that this recipe for slow cooker brisket in foil turned out that I wondered whether a lamb joint would be as successful. I also wanted to see what it would taste like if I rubbed it with curry spices before cooking it so I took some inspiration for the spices from this South African chicken curry.

The result is this amazingly tender slow cooker curried leg of lamb.

It's absolutely packed with flavour and is melt-in-the-mouth tender, having been rubbed with spices and wrapped in tin foil. The tin foil not only keeps the lamb moist and succulent but also helps the spices to permeate throughout the entire joint.

I used a small half-leg lamb joint which I happened to have in the freezer, but there's absolutely no reason why you couldn't use a piece of lamb shoulder instead. Shoulder is about half the price of a lamb leg, and is ideally suited to slow cooking. The way of preparing both cuts of meat is the same, the only difference is that shoulder will take longer than the leg to cook to perfect tenderness.

Fruity rub

To make the rub for the lamb leg I combined a blend of spices with fruit chutney. Being of a South African background I naturally used Mrs Balls Chutney. This can be bought at most large supermarkets in the UK and is also available on Amazon. I have a recipe for homemade Mrs Balls Chutney if you'd like to try your hand at making some. Otherwise, use any brand of fruit chutney. I think mango chutney would go particularly well with the curry spices.

Once the lamb had been coated in the rub, I wrapped it in tin foil with a few cloves of garlic and popped it in the slow cooker for a few hours. There's no need to add any liquid to the slow cooker - all the cooking juices collect in the tin foil parcel and you can use those to make a gravy.

The end result was a beautifully cooked leg of lamb that was so tender it practically sliced itself. Of course, you can leave the lamb for longer than the times I suggest, in which case you will be able to pull the lamb to pieces with 2 forks!

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Cooking times
• Make the gravy
• Tip for a successful outcome
• Serving suggestions
• Equipment
• Storage
• FAQ
• Save for later
• Related recipes
• 📋The recipe

Ingredients

This recipe, using a 1.5 kg leg of lamb, will feed 6 to 8 people. You can turn any leftovers into a delicious leftover lamb curry or even make a few leftover lamb pies.

• Lamb joint - I used lamb leg but you could use lamb shoulder instead. Lamb shoulder is slightly tougher than lamb leg and will take longer to cook. See Cooking Times below.
• Salt - this will be to your taste, but a little salt does bring out the flavour.
• Garlic cloves - I like to enclose 4 or 5 peeled garlic cloves in the tin foil parcel. They add a super flavour and if you like stronger garlic taste you can blend the cooked garlic cloves into the gravy.
• Fruit chutney - use your favourite brand of fruity chutney. Substitute with apricot jam if you don't have chutney. Don't be tempted to leave this out - the sweetness from the chutney or jam is what gives this curry its flavour.
• Spices - I like to mix my own spices to suit my preference. If you only have a curry blend in your cupboard it will be fine to use that instead. Most curry blends are a combination of the spices I used anyway.
  • turmeric
  • cumin
  • coriander
  • garam masala
  • chilli flakes
  • cinnamon
• Fresh coriander (not pictured) - optional, for garnish.

For the gravy

To make the gravy you will need:

• The cooking juices from the lamb (with most of the fat poured off)
• Instant lamb gravy granules. I use Bisto but you can use whatever brand you prefer.
• Boiling water.

**You can find the exact ingredient measurement for making this slow cooker curried leg of lamb on the printable recipe card at the end of this post**

Instructions

Cooking times

Lamb leg - 3 to 4 hours on high or 5 to 6 hours on low

Lamb shoulder 4 to 5 hours on high or 6 to 7 hours on low.

These are suggested times only based on a 1.5 kg (or 3-pound) joint. Actual times will vary depending on the size of your joint. Consult the manual that came with your slow cooker for more information.

At the times given above, you will be able to cut the lamb leg into slices, and it should still be slightly pink on the inside. If you want to be able to pull the leg apart with 2 forks, leave it for longer.

The lamb shoulder should be shreddable if left for the times given.

To check for doneness, carefully open the foil package and test the lamb with a fork. The fork should slide in easily with no resistance. If not done to your liking, leave the lamb for a while longer.

In both cases (leg or shoulder) leave the lamb to rest for at least 20 minutes after cooking to give the juices time to settle before carving or shredding.

Make the gravy

Carefully pour the cooking juices from the tin foil package into a jug. Let them settle, then pour away any excess fat.

Stir in 1 or 2 tablespoons of instant lamb gravy granules.

Stir in sufficient boiling water to make a thick gravy.

Tip for a successful outcome

Here are my top tips for ensuring your slow-cooked curried lamb joint always turns out perfectly.

• When enclosing the lamb in tin foil, ensure that the foil is well sealed (ie with double folds on all the joins) to keep all the cooking juices in with the meat.
• Take care that the lamb joint's bone does not poke through the foil. If you think there is any danger of this happening, cover the ends of the bone with a double layer of foil.
• The garlic cloves that were cooked with the meat will be very soft. You can either discard them or blend them in with the gravy.
• For the spice rub you can use my suggested spices or use 3 to 4 teaspoons of your favourite pre-mixed curry powder blend.
• Lamb shoulder will take longer to cook than lamb leg so if you have used a shoulder make sure you leave it in the slow cooker for the extra time.

Serving suggestions

I like to serve this lamb, either sliced or shredded, piled on top of a plate of brown rice which has been mixed with peas and corn, freshly steamed vegetables on the side and smothered in lamb gravy. I also like to garnish the lamb wth lots of fresh coriander leaves.

Here are a few ideas for vegetables that would go well with the curried lamb:

• aloo gobi (cauliflower and potato curry);
• curried green beans - this is a salad, normally served cold, but can be served hot too;
• minted smashed peas - peas and curry go so well together and the hint of mint in these peas would be delicious with the lamb;
• glazed carrots - the sweetness of the carrots goes well with the curry flavours;
• pilau rice - this always goes well with curry.

Equipment

You will need a slow cooker and some heavy duty tin foil for wrapping the lamb. I used a double layer of foil - if your foil is quite thin (is the type of tin foil that is sold for wrapping sandwiches) then you might need to use a triple layer.

A small bowl will be needed to mix the spices with the chutney.

Storage

Leftover lamb (slice or shredded) can be wrapped in tin foil and stored in the refrigerator for 3 days.

To reheat, place the tin foil package on a baking sheet and place it in a moderate oven (180C/360F) for about 10 minutes.

You can also freeze any leftover lamb in a ziploc bag for up to 3 months.

FAQ

Save for later

If you would like to make this slow cooker curried leg of lamb why not save the recipe to one of your Pinterest boards so you can find it easily? Just click on the image below.

Alternatively, you can save the recipe by clicking on the floating heart icon on the right-hand side of the screen.

Related recipes

Visit my slow cooker recipes page for other slow-cooked meals. Here are a few you might enjoy:

📋The recipe

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