This easy slow cooker lamb breast recipe turns an economical cut of lamb into a tender and flavourful Sunday roast with very little hands-on preparation. It's a great alternative to a more expensive leg of lamb for a roast dinner or Easter lunch.
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Quick Summary - Rolled Lamb Breast in Slow Cooker
I've been making lamb breast this way for years because the slow cooker is ideal for this cheaper, fattier cut. I particularly like that there's no need to add stock or water - after 6-7 hours on LOW, the lamb is tender and there are plenty of flavourful cooking juices for gravy. Beth (Effortless Foodie)
🕒 Ready In: 6 hours 15 minutes
👪 Serves: 6
🍽 Calories: 847
🥣 Main Ingredients: Rolled lamb breast, onion, carrots, fresh rosemary, sausagemeat, breadcrumbs, garlic, herbs, butter, and egg.
👩🍳 Difficulty: Fairly Easy
👌 Why this recipe? An economical cut of lamb cooked slowly until tender, with an optional herby sausagemeat stuffing.
Summarise & Save This Content On
I cook a roughly 1.5 kg boned and rolled lamb breast on LOW for 6-7 hours, on a bed of onion, carrots and fresh rosemary. There's no need to add stock or water - the lamb releases plenty of its own juices as it slowly cooks.
You can ask your butcher to bone, stuff and roll the lamb breast for you, or make the simple herby sausagemeat stuffing included in the recipe. For a more golden, crisp finish, you can also transfer the cooked lamb to a hot oven before resting and carving.
Looking for more easy slow cooker roast recipes? Try my moist slow cooker roast beef, slow cooker whole chicken, slow cooker gammon and slow cooker turkey crown!
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Jump to:
- Quick Summary - Rolled Lamb Breast in Slow Cooker
- Why you'll love this slow cooker lamb breast
- What is lamb breast?
- Ingredient notes
- Need to substitute an ingredient?
- Variations
- How to cook lamb breast in slow cooker
- Beth's top tips
- Serving suggestions
- Storage
- Troubleshooting guide
- Slow cooker lamb breast FAQs
- More slow cooker recipes
- Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Why you'll love this slow cooker lamb breast
- Economical - lamb breast is generally a cheaper cut than leg or shoulder.
- Perfect for slow cooking - the long, gentle cooking time helps tenderise the meat and render the fat.
- Very little prep - once the lamb is in the slow cooker, there's very little else to do.
- No added liquid - you don't need to add stock or water.
- Optional homemade stuffing - make the rosemary and sausagemeat stuffing yourself or ask your butcher to stuff and roll the joint.
- Great for a roast dinner - serve with crispy roast potatoes, seasonal vegetables and plenty of gravy.
What is lamb breast?
Lamb breast is a rich, fatty cut taken from the lower part of the lamb. It's generally cheaper than cuts such as leg and is particularly well suited to slow cooking.
The long cooking time allows the meat to become tender while much of the fat slowly renders. Lamb breast is often sold boned and rolled, and your butcher may also be able to stuff and tie it for you.
For this recipe, I use a rolled lamb breast weighing approximately 1.5 kg.
Ingredient notes
Rolled lamb breast - you'll need a boned and rolled lamb breast weighing approximately 1.5 kg. If possible, ask your butcher to prepare it for you. It can be stuffed or unstuffed.
Onion and carrots - these form a vegetable trivet in the bottom of the slow cooker, keeping the lamb raised from the base while adding flavour to the cooking juices.
Rosemary - fresh rosemary works particularly well with lamb, although dried rosemary can be used if that's what you have.
For the optional stuffing
If your butcher has already stuffed and rolled the lamb breast, you can skip the homemade stuffing completely.
Onion & Garlic - softened in butter before being mixed with the remaining stuffing ingredients.
Butter - for gently frying the onion.
Rosemary, thyme and dried mint - a simple combination of herbs that works well with lamb.
Sausagemeat - makes the stuffing savoury and substantial.
Breadcrumbs - use fresh or dried breadcrumbs.
Egg - binds the stuffing ingredients together.
Salt and pepper - for seasoning.
Need to substitute an ingredient?
Have an allergy or dietary preference? Let AI customise the recipe for you.
Variations
- Skip the stuffing - season the unrolled lamb with herbs before rolling and tying.
- Change the herbs - rosemary is my favourite with lamb, but thyme also works well.
- Add potatoes - place peeled potatoes around the lamb and vegetables to make the recipe more of a one-pot meal.
- Use different root vegetables - parsnips can be added alongside the carrots.
How to cook lamb breast in slow cooker
One: If your lamb breast hasn't already been boned, stuffed and rolled by your butcher, start by making the stuffing.
Gently fry the chopped onion and garlic in the butter for 5 minutes until soft. Place it in a bowl with the remaining stuffing ingredients and mix well.
Unroll the lamb breast and spread the stuffing over the flesh. Roll it back up from the short edge to make a thick roll, then secure firmly with kitchen string.
Two: Place the chopped onion and carrots in the bottom of the slow cooker and add the rosemary sprigs. The vegetables act as a trivet, keeping the fatty lamb joint raised from the base of the slow cooker.
Three: Place the rolled lamb breast on top of the vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Cook on LOW for 6-7 hours. There's no need to add any stock or water.
Slow-cooked lamb breast will be beautifully tender, but the slow cooker won't give the outside the same browned finish as an oven. If you'd like a more golden exterior, carefully transfer the cooked lamb to a roasting tin and put it into a very hot oven for around 15 minutes.
Four: Rest the lamb for 30 minutes before removing the string and cutting it into thick slices. Resting makes the joint easier to carve and allows the meat to retain more of its juices.
Beth's top tips
- Ask your butcher to prepare the lamb. Having the lamb breast boned, stuffed, rolled and tied saves a considerable amount of preparation time.
- Cook it on LOW. This is one recipe where I wouldn't rush the cooking time. Lamb breast benefits from gentle, slow cooking.
- Don't add stock unnecessarily. The lamb releases plenty of liquid and fat as it cooks.
- Use the vegetables as a trivet. Keeping the lamb raised on the carrots and onion prevents it sitting directly on the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Brown it afterwards. If the lamb looks a little pale after slow cooking, a short blast in a hot oven will give it a much more appetising finish.
- Rest before carving. Give the lamb a good 30 minutes before slicing.
Serving suggestions
Turn your slow cooker lamb breast into a traditional roast dinner with polenta roast potatoes, tenderstem broccoli, cauliflower cheese, cheesy leeks, red cabbage, sweet potatoes and Yorkshire puddings.
Storage
Store - Allow leftover lamb to cool, then place it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat - Reheat sliced lamb thoroughly until piping hot. Adding a little leftover gravy will help prevent it from drying out.
Leftovers - Leftover lamb is also delicious in sandwiches, wraps and salads or used to make a leftover lamb curry.
Troubleshooting guide
The lamb is still tough
If your lamb breast is still tough, it probably needs a little longer in the slow cooker. A 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) rolled lamb breast usually takes 6-7 hours on LOW, but slow cookers vary. Continue cooking until the meat is tender.
There's lots of fat in the slow cooker
This is completely normal. Lamb breast is a naturally fatty cut, and a considerable amount of fat will render during slow cooking. Skim off the excess fat before using the cooking juices to make gravy.
The lamb looks pale
Slow cookers don't brown meat in the same way as an oven. For a more golden exterior, transfer the cooked lamb to a roasting tin (roasting pan) and finish it in a hot oven for around 15 minutes.
The lamb is difficult to slice
Allow the lamb to rest for 30 minutes before removing the string and carving. Resting helps the rolled joint hold together and makes it easier to cut into neat, thick slices.
The stuffing falls out when I carve the lamb
Make sure the lamb is rolled fairly tightly and secured well with kitchen string (butcher's twine) before cooking. Allowing it to rest before carving will also help the stuffing stay in place.
There doesn't seem to be enough liquid
Don't be tempted to add stock or water. The lamb and vegetables release plenty of their own juices during the long cooking time, so no additional liquid is needed.
The cooking juices are too greasy for gravy
Allow the juices to settle, then skim as much rendered fat from the surface as possible. Strain the remaining cooking juices and use them as a flavourful base for your gravy.
Slow cooker lamb breast FAQs
Yes. Lamb breast is naturally a fatty cut of meat, and this is one of the reasons it works so well in a slow cooker.
During the long cooking time, much of that fat renders out of the joint and collects in the bottom of the slow cooker.
If you want to use the cooking juices for gravy, remove or skim off excess fat first.
Yes. The stuffing is completely optional.
For an unstuffed slow cooked lamb breast, season the meat well and add rosemary before rolling and tying it securely.
This is an even simpler option if you're looking for an easy breast of lamb recipe with minimal preparation.
The lamb, onion and carrots produce plenty of flavourful cooking juices, which can be used as the base for gravy.
Because lamb breast releases a lot of fat, allow the cooking liquid to settle and skim away as much excess fat as possible before making your gravy.
Strain the remaining juices into a saucepan and use them to make your usual gravy, adding extra stock if you need more liquid.
No. There's no need to brown the lamb before slow cooking. If you'd like a more golden exterior, it's easier to brown it in a hot oven once it has finished slow cooking.
Yes. A rolled lamb breast can also be cooked slowly in a low oven. My slow cooker method is particularly convenient because you can leave it cooking gently for most of the day.
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Recipe
Slow Cooker Lamb Breast
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Ingredients
- 1.5 kg Lamb Breast boned and rolled lamb breast
- 1 Onion peeled and chopped
- 2 Carrots chopped into large chunks
- 2 Rosemary Sprigs
For the optional stuffing
- 1 Onion peeled and chopped
- 1 Garlic peeled and chopped
- 2 tablespoon Butter
- 1 teaspoon Rosemary dried or fresh, chopped finely
- 1 teaspoon Thyme dried or fresh, chopped finely
- 85 g Sausagemeat (Ground Pork Sausage)
- 50 g Breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon Dried Mint
- 1 Egg
- Salt and Pepper for seasoning.
Instructions
- If your lamb breast hasn't already been boned, stuffed and rolled by your butcher, start by making the stuffing.Gently fry the chopped onion and garlic in the butter for 5 minutes until soft. Place it in a bowl with the remaining stuffing ingredients and mix well.Unroll the lamb breast and spread the stuffing over the flesh. Roll it back up from the short edge to make a thick roll, then secure firmly with kitchen string.1 Onion, 1 Garlic, 2 tablespoon Butter, 1 teaspoon Rosemary, 1 teaspoon Thyme, 85 g Sausagemeat (Ground Pork Sausage), 50 g Breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoon Dried Mint, 1 Egg, Salt and Pepper, 1.5 kg Lamb Breast
- Place the chopped onion and carrots in the bottom of the slow cooker and add the rosemary sprigs.The vegetables act as a trivet, keeping the fatty lamb joint raised from the base of the slow cooker.1 Onion, 2 Carrots, 2 Rosemary Sprigs
- Place the rolled lamb breast on top of the vegetables and season with salt and pepper.Cook on LOW for 6-7 hours.There's no need to add any stock or water.For a more golden exterior, carefully transfer the cooked lamb to a roasting tin (roasting pan) and place in a hot oven for around 15 minutes. This step is optional.
- Rest the lamb for 30 minutes, then remove the kitchen string and carve into thick slices.
Notes
- Lamb: I use a boned and rolled lamb breast weighing approximately 1.5 kg.
- Cooking: Cook on LOW for 6-7 hours. I don't recommend rushing this recipe on HIGH as lamb breast benefits from long, gentle cooking.
- No liquid needed: Don't add stock or water. The lamb and vegetables release plenty of liquid as they cook.
- Stuffing: The sausagemeat stuffing is optional. Ask your butcher to stuff and roll the lamb for you to save time.
- For a browned finish: Transfer the cooked lamb to a roasting tin and place in a very hot oven for around 15 minutes.
- Resting: Rest for 30 minutes before removing the string and carving into thick slices.
- Fat: Lamb breast is naturally fatty. Skim excess rendered fat from the cooking juices before using them for gravy.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat thoroughly.
Lindy says
As I am roasting potatoes, would popping it in the oven for 30 mins or so crisp up the skin?
Ian Coupland says
I only had one carrot to spare as I needed to steam the rest for a side dish so I added some chopped celery as I wanted to use the veggies to make gravy. I did pop it in the oven to brown as I had it on for some veg and it looked a little insipid in my Instapot but it was fabulous and we all loved it. A definite keep. Thanks so much for the recipe and idea of slow roasting in the slow cooker. Inspirational.
Ruth says
Is no stock or water or any other liquid added to the slowcooker?
Beth Sachs says
Hi Ruth. No water or stock needed for this recipe. The lamb comes out lovely and tender without additional liquid.
Jenn says
This is an amazing recipe and I love how simple it is - get it into the slow cooker and then I can get other things done! Thanks for the great recipe!
Angela says
This looks amazing! I haven't heard of it before. I am definitely going to be looking for it at the butcher shop.
Ashley F. says
Such a great post and all of the tips on how to prepare the lamb. It's something we don't make often but when we do it has to taste great! Love the flavors stuffed inside! Perfect!
Carrie Robinson says
I just love that you made this in the slow cooker! Perfect for a cold winter day. 🙂
Beth says
Yum! My hubby and I are going to love this recipe! So excited to give this a try! Looks amazing and making my mouth water!
Pam says
I'm always look for new recipes to cook in the slow cooker so this is great. Have a nice rosemary growing outside too, so I'm all set!