Zinfandel-Braised Leg of Lamb (Slow Cooker)

JackieOhNo!'s Note:

This is a real change of pace for lamb and for the slow cooker! By reducing the wine before placing it in the slow cooker, you give the dish a more rounded flavor.

• Total Time: 8 hrs 15 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 8 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 2 ½ lbs boneless leg of lamb
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt , divided
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper , divided
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon juniper berries , crushed
• 1 teaspoon whole allspice , crushed
• 6 garlic cloves , sliced
• 1 cup zinfandel
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 cups hot cooked egg noodles (about 4-3/4 cups uncooked pasta)

Directions:

1. Unroll lamb; trim fat. Sprinkle evenly with1/2 t. salt and 1/2 t. pepper. Reroll lamb; secure at 1-inch intervals with kitchen twine. Sprinkle evenly with flour.
2. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add lamb to pan; cook 6 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Place lamb in electric slow cooker.
3. Add juniper berries, allspice, and garlic to skillet; cook over medium heat 2 minutes or until garlic is lightly browned. Add wine to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; cook until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 3 minutes). Scrape wine mixture into cooker; add basil and bay leaves. Cover and cook on LOW 8 hours or until lamb is tender.
4. Remove lamb from cooker; keep warm. Strain cooking liquid through a sieve into a small bowl; discard solics. Add remaining 1/2 t. salt and remaining 1/2 t. pepper to cooking liquid; stir. Remove twine from lamb, and discard. Break lamb into chunks with 2 forks. Serve lamb with cooking liquid over egg noodles.

Reviews

[WorkingMom2three]

Five stars on ease of cooking! I was looking for something I could "set & forget", and this fit the bill. I don't have the greatest luck with the slow cooker, though, so my expectations were low. I didn't have juniper berries, so I looked on line for substitutes, and one suggestion was rosemary. How can you go wrong with rosemary and lamb? Also, I didn't have Zinfandel, I had a red blend of cab, merlot, and zin (Menage a Trois). Otherwise, I followed the recipe exactly - had a 2.5lb BLOL, etc. Mine was done after 6 hours. I turned it off until dinner time, then set it back to low. The "sauce" was very greasy - I had to degrease before using it. I found the lamb on itself to be very tender, but not very flavorful - it definitely needed the sauce on it. The sauce was very thin, I think if I make it again I'll thicken for more of a gravy consistency. I would definitely make it again for a non-grill option for BLOL.

[kitchenslave03]

Was just about to post this from March 2009 issue of Cooking Light. Thanks for saving me the typing.

[Tarteausucre]

YUM YUM YUM, it should be a crime to leave the dog at home to have to smell this all day. I halved the recipe for 2 dinners and a lunch. Did not have juniper berries, or whole allspice, subbed for some ground instead. Very good, this will be put in our rotation. Thank you for posting! Made for ZWT 5