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.
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.
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.
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.
Slow Cooker Moroccan Lamb (Low-Carb, Paleo, Whole30)
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Total Time: 4 hours 10 mins
- Yield: 3-4 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 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
- Pour broth into the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Mix together Moroccan spice rub in a small box. Press 2 tbsp of the spice rub firmly all over the lamb shoulder meat.
- Add lamb and vegetables to the slow cooker.
- Top with fresh mint.
- Cook HIGH 3-4 hours or LOW 6-8.
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.
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34 thoughts on “Moroccan Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder”
We made this to try something new with lamb and it is now a go-to recipe. The flavours were *chefs kiss* and the lamb melted in your mouth. We made it for a visiting friend and he still talks about it months later. Not to mention it is super easy to make. Thank you for sharing!
I’m having a dinner party for my husband‘s birthday. I’d love to serve this lamb dish for eight people. What size lamb would you recommend I purchase (3x)? Also how long should I leave it in the slow cooker for? I’ll probably cook it on low and slow. I am planning on using a lamb shoulder. Would it be best to use bone in or boneless.
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.
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.
I love when people take a recipe & make it their own. I love your enhancements. Thank you for sharing & for the feedback!
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?
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!
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
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?
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!
Wanting to make some dump bags to freeze. Will it work If I pre rub the lamb in the spice mix before freezing?
I made this recipe today and it was absolutely delicious. Served it over cauliflower rice. I would recommend you try this and go online and buy the correct spices
Where do I find the rub recipe? I needed to find the blog–can you help?susieq124@windstream.net
Where do I find the rub recipe? I needed to find the blog–can you help?susieq124@windstream.net
It’s listed in the blog post. Here you go:
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
This was delicious. I loved the way the surface looked blackened but the meat so moist and tender. I’ve saved you recipe. I will make it again. Thank you
Prepared this today for my family and got raving reviews. Also fixed the spice rub. Doubled the broth and added more carrots, some celery stalks, 3 tomatoes, 1/2 tsp sugar and 2 small pieces of cinnamon stick. Served it with couscous. This recipe is a keeper!! Thank you!
Have you ever made this in an instant pot? Just wondering whether it would work as well.
I’ve made lamb shoulders with this recipe for just about 10 times. Not exaggerated at all. I’m really glad I found this recipe. My friends all love it, and it smells so good during the cook! They all think I’m a cooking master, but in reality it literally takes 1 minute to prepare, since I’ve made myself a stock of seasoning mix. The carrots are so tender and delicious, I usually add about 1.5 pounds of carrots, I think that makes a better meat-to-veggie ratio.
Thanks a lot Shannon! Hope to see more recipes like this <3
If I double the meat to a 4 pound leg of lamb, how long do I cook it? Do I double the spices?
Yes I would use 1/4 cup of spices and you might need to add an additional hour or so to the cook time. For 4 lbs I would go with 4-5 hours on high or 8-9 hours on low.
You talk about searing in a stove top pan as an option. About 3 min per side with the spice rub before putting in a regular slow cooker? Is that a good amount of time? Thank you!
Thanks for sharing this GEM of a recipe! Made it tonight and the meat was perfect, juicy, fell right off the bone. The best kind of food on a snowy day in Chicago! Thank you!
Just made it tonight for my girlfriend (New Orleanian foodie who can COOK). We absolutely loved it!
The sear is an essential part of having the juices stay in the meat. As described above, make sure you put in plenty of rub. Rub first, sear next, and then put it in the slow cooker on low for 6 hours. Check it right at 6 hours…if we had left it longer it would have started to dry out. Thanks for the great recipe!
I made this last night for company and it was delicious! The aromatic fragrance of all the spices cooking was tempting me all day long… and our guests loved it. Thanks for a great rub and recipe!
How long do you sear your lamb before putting it in the crock pot?
Approximately 2-4 minutes or until each side is lightly browned. Optional step, you don’t have to sear it first you can just rub the spices on the raw meat.
Made this last night, and it was so good! Thank you for sharing the recipe!
You are very welcome. I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Cant stop drooling……cant look away…..
I’ve been looking for lamb recipes to try out. I bought half a lamb with no idea what to do with it– it’s the adventurous side of me! 🙂 This recipe popped up on Pinterest with one of my searches and OH MY GOSH, is it delicious!!! It smelled super amazing while it was cooking, I couldn’t wait to try it!! Definitely adding this to my meal rotation!!! Thanks so much for sharing your spice rub and recipe!!!
You’re very welcome! Thank you so much for the positive feedback. This comment really made my day:-)
I make this all the time now. It really is delicious and it’s a favorite for dinner guests. It’s so tasty they assume it was labor intensive. I’ve also made the spice rub and put it in cute jars as gifts for people. It’s a hit everywhere. This is a winner.
I’m SO happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for the positive feedback. I haven’t made this one is a long time. Thanks for putting it back on my radar, I’ll definitely make it again soon.