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Moroccan Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder

Lamb, spices, and a few vegetables are all you need for this simple and healthy slow cooker recipe. Together these ingredients will bring the flavors of Morocco to your kitchen.

Lamb, spices, and a few vegetables are all you need for this simple and healthy slow cooker recipe. Together these ingredients will bring the flavors of Morocco to your kitchen.

Updated April 2018

I found two lamb shoulder chops from my local grocery store. I usually use a lamb roast but I thought I’d switch it up a bit. If you can’t find lamb shoulder chops then you can substitute regular lamb shoulder, lamb roast, or even a beef.

Lamb, spices, and a few vegetables are all you need for this simple and healthy slow cooker recipe. Together these ingredients will bring the flavors of Morocco to your kitchen.

This is the third recipe I have posted to this blog using my Moroccan spice rub. I use the rub pretty frequently if you can’t tell. As I stated before, I keep a batch of this in my pantry. Here’s the rub again for you:

MOROCCAN SPICE RUB
1 tsp of the following
Ginger
Cumin
Turmeric
Paprika
Garlic Powder
Red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp of the following
Cinnamon
Coriander
Nutmeg
Cloves
Salt
Pepper

Make sure you press the rub firmly into the meat. When it slow cooks it will form a sort of crust on the meat. Similar to bark that you find on brisket or other smoked meats. If you are not familiar with bark, HERE is a good article explaining what it is and why it is so good.

Lamb, spices, and a few vegetables are all you need for this simple and healthy slow cooker recipe. Together these ingredients will bring the flavors of Morocco to your kitchen.

I chose to pan-sear my meat after I rubbed the seasoning on, before I put it in the slow cooker. This is an optional step. I usually don’t take the time to sear my meat beforehand but I’m trying to use my 6-quart stove top browning slow cooker more which allows me to brown directly in the slow cooker, no transferring it from a skillet. I tossed in some carrots and onions but absolutely you can use your preferred vegetables. You can even add potatoes to make this a more complete meal.

Lamb, spices, and a few vegetables are all you need for this simple and healthy slow cooker recipe. Together these ingredients will bring the flavors of Morocco to your kitchen.

3 important notes about this recipe: 1) This is one of those recipes where your house will smell amazing while it cooks, especially towards the end. 2) You’ll know it’s done when the meat it so tender it shreds easily with a fork. 3) The top of the meat will look burnt. It is not. That’s the spice rub crust/bark I mentioned earlier.

Lamb, spices, and a few vegetables are all you need for this simple and healthy slow cooker recipe. Together these ingredients will bring the flavors of Morocco to your kitchen.

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Lamb, spices, and a few vegetables are all you need for this simple and healthy slow cooker recipe. Together these ingredients will bring the flavors of Morocco to your kitchen.

Slow Cooker Moroccan Lamb (Low-Carb, Paleo, Whole30)

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 4 reviews

  • Total Time: 4 hours 10 mins
  • Yield: 3-4 servings 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 lbs lamb (I used shoulder chops)
  • 2 tbsp Moroccan spice rub (see blog post)
  • 1/4 lb carrots, chopped
  • 1/4 cup onion, sliced
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
  • 1/4 cup low-sodium beef or chicken broth

Instructions

  1. Pour broth into the bottom of the slow cooker.
  2. Mix together Moroccan spice rub in a small box. Press 2 tbsp of the spice rub firmly all over the lamb shoulder meat.
  3. Add lamb and vegetables to the slow cooker.
  4. Top with fresh mint.
  5. Cook HIGH 3-4 hours or LOW 6-8.
  • Author: Fit SlowCooker Queen
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 4 hours

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 360
  • Sugar: 1.8 g
  • Sodium: 185.9 mg
  • Fat: 15.8 g
  • Saturated Fat: 5.7 g
  • Carbohydrates: 7 g
  • Fiber: 2 g
  • Protein: 45.5 g
  • Cholesterol: 149.7 mg

I served this with mashed cauliflower to keep my meal low-carb.

Lamb, spices, and a few vegetables are all you need for this simple and healthy slow cooker recipe. Together these ingredients will bring the flavors of Morocco to your kitchen.

 

Lamb, spices, and a few vegetables are all you need for this simple and healthy slow cooker recipe. Together these ingredients will bring the flavors of Morocco to your kitchen.

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Lamb, spices, and a few vegetables are all you need for this simple and healthy slow cooker recipe. Together these ingredients will bring the flavors of Morocco to your kitchen.

This post also contains affiliate links, which means I receive money if you make a purchase using one of the links. You can view my disclosure policy here: https://fitslowcookerqueen.com/about/disclosure-policy/.

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

karen

Thursday 7th of December 2023

This is the third time I have made this! It is so yummy on a cold night! I add sweet potatoes to it! I use more bullion, we like to have lots of broth for dipping crusty bread into.

Marky Mark

Tuesday 5th of September 2023

Fantastic recipe !! I took advice from other cooks as well and increased the broth, added tomatoes and more carrots, plus honey … and threw in a handful of pitted dates and dried apricots. Little sweet Moroccan surprises throughout the meal. Served with cauliflower mash. Definitely on the redo list.

Shannon Epstein

Wednesday 13th of September 2023

I love when people take a recipe & make it their own. I love your enhancements. Thank you for sharing & for the feedback!

Dee

Thursday 8th of June 2023

Is it really just a 1/4 cup of liquid? I have a 2lb boneless shoulder roadt and think that may not be enough liquid for my large crockpot?

Shannon Epstein

Monday 12th of June 2023

While that's technically all that's needed for the slow cooker version, adding more liquid won't hurt. I wouldn't add more than 1 cup though. Enjoy!

Nick

Monday 9th of January 2023

Having spent time in Rabat, Morocco, some years ago, I am a big fan of Moroccan cuisine. This being the case, I added 2 tablespoons of honey and the juice of a fresh lemon. The result made the flavors reminiscent of lamb shanks cooked with honey and almonds, one of my favorite d

Andy

Friday 15th of July 2022

I made this several times and absolutely love it! Not everyone in my family eats lamb. Do you think it can be made with chicken?

Shannon Epstein

Friday 15th of July 2022

I'm so glad to hear you enjoy the recipe! Absolutely, I think this will be great with chicken. I would lower the cooking time from 2-3 hours HIGH or 4-6 hours LOW. Enjoy!