Slow Cooker Lamb Shoulder with Yogurt-Mint Marinade

Name: Slow Cooker Lamb Shoulder with Yogurt-Mint Marinade
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 8 h 10 min
Total time: 8 h 55 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 3 lb (1360 g) boneless lamb shoulder, excess hard fat trimmed, cut into 3-inch (7.5 cm) chunks, patted dry; 1 cup (245 g) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt; ½ cup (15 g) fresh mint leaves, loosely packed, finely chopped; 6 cloves (30 g) garlic cloves, peeled and finely grated or minced; 3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lemon juice; 1 tbsp (6 g) lemon zest, finely grated; 1 tbsp (7 g) ground cumin; 2 tsp (4 g) ground coriander; 2 tsp (5 g) sweet paprika; ½ tsp (1 g) ground cinnamon; 2 tsp (10 g) kosher salt; 1 tsp (2 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 2 medium (300 g) yellow onions, peeled and sliced into ½-inch (1.25 cm) half-moons; ¼ cup (60 ml) water; ¾ cup (185 g) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt, cold; ¼ cup (8 g) fresh mint leaves, loosely packed, finely chopped, plus a few whole leaves for serving; 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice; ¼ tsp (1½ g) kosher salt; ¼ cup (40 g) pomegranate seeds (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Boneless lamb shoulder spends hours in a cumin, garlic and lemon yogurt marinade, then slow cooks over sweet onions until it shreds with a fork. A cool mint-yogurt sauce and a quick reduction of the cooking juices finish the dish.

Prep: 45 min
Cook: 8 hr 10 min
Wait: 4 hr 15 min
Total: 13 hr 10 min
Makes: About 6 servings (roughly 4 cups shredded lamb)

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the lamb
3 lb (1360 g) boneless lamb shoulder, excess hard fat trimmed, cut into 3-inch (7.5 cm) chunks, patted dry
For the marinade
1 cup (245 g) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
½ cup (15 g) fresh mint leaves, loosely packed, finely chopped
6 cloves (30 g) garlic cloves, peeled and finely grated or minced
3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp (6 g) lemon zest, finely grated
1 tbsp (7 g) ground cumin
2 tsp (4 g) ground coriander
2 tsp (5 g) sweet paprika
½ tsp (1 g) ground cinnamon
2 tsp (10 g) kosher salt
1 tsp (2 g) black pepper, freshly ground
2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
For the slow cooker
2 medium (300 g) yellow onions, peeled and sliced into ½-inch (1.25 cm) half-moons
¼ cup (60 ml) water
For the mint yogurt sauce
¾ cup (185 g) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt, cold
¼ cup (8 g) fresh mint leaves, loosely packed, finely chopped, plus a few whole leaves for serving
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp (1.5 g) kosher salt
To serve
¼ cup (40 g) pomegranate seeds (optional)

Equipment (7)

6-quart (5.5 L) slow cooker
Large bowl (at least 3 quarts / 3 L)
Large zip-top bag or covered container for marinating
Fine-mesh strainer
Instant-read thermometer
Medium saucepan or wide skillet (10-inch / 25 cm)
Two forks or meat claws

Steps

Before you start

Plan ahead: the lamb needs at least 4 hours in the marinade (up to 18 hours in the fridge) and 8 hours on LOW in the slow cooker.
Trim thick, hard external fat from the lamb but leave thin streaks of fat. They keep the meat moist.
Use full-fat Greek yogurt. Low-fat yogurt can look grainy after long cooking.
Use a 6-quart (5.5 L) slow cooker. Smaller ones will crowd the meat and cook it unevenly.

1
Mix the marinade
- In a large bowl, stir together the marinade yogurt, ½ cup chopped mint, grated garlic, 3 tbsp lemon juice, lemon zest, cumin, coriander, paprika, cinnamon, 2 tsp salt, black pepper and olive oil until it forms a thick, evenly speckled paste.
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Ready when: No streaks of dry spice remain and the marinade is uniformly pale green-orange.
Tip: Grate the garlic on a fine rasp so it disperses and doesn't leave raw bites.
2
Marinate the lamb
- Add the dry lamb chunks to the bowl and turn them with your hands until every surface and crevice is coated.
- Transfer to a zip-top bag or cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or up to 18 hours.
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Ready when: The lamb looks fully coated and slightly lighter in color.
Tip: Don't go past 18 hours. The lemon juice can make the surface of the meat mushy.
3
Set up the cooker
- Spread the sliced onions in an even layer across the bottom of the slow cooker and pour in the ¼ cup water.
- Lift the lamb from the bag, letting excess marinade cling to it, and nestle the chunks on top of the onions in a single snug layer.
- Scrape any remaining marinade over the meat.
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Ready when: Onions fully cover the base and the lamb sits on top, not submerged.
Tip: The onions act as a rack that keeps the lamb out of direct contact with the hot base so it doesn't scorch.
4
Slow cook until tenderOven 205°F / 95°C
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours (or on HIGH for 4½ to 5 hours).
- Do not lift the lid during the first 6 hours.
- Check at the end: the lamb should be very soft and the internal temperature should read 195–205°F (90–96°C).
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Ready when: A fork twists into the meat with almost no resistance and the chunks begin to fall apart.
Tip: If it still feels springy or the temperature is below 195°F (90°C), cook another 30–60 minutes. Tough meat is just undercooked, not overcooked.
5
Rest and strain juices
- Using tongs and a slotted spoon, move the lamb to a rimmed tray or large dish and tent loosely with foil.
- Let it rest for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile pour the contents of the cooker through a fine-mesh strainer into a medium saucepan, pressing the onions gently, then skim off the fat floating on the surface with a spoon.
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Ready when: You have about 1½ cups of juices and the lamb is cool enough to touch.
Tip: Keep the softened onions to serve alongside if you like. Chilling the juices for 10 minutes makes the fat easier to skim.
6
Reduce the juices
- Bring the strained juices to a boil over medium-high heat, then simmer, stirring occasionally, for 8–10 minutes until reduced by about half to roughly ¾ cup.
- Taste and add a pinch of salt only if needed.
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Ready when: The sauce is glossy and lightly coats the back of a spoon.
Tip: Don't let it boil hard on a low-volume pan or the yogurt solids can separate. Adjust to a steady simmer.
7
Make the mint yogurt sauce
- In a small bowl, stir together the cold yogurt, ¼ cup chopped mint, 1 tbsp lemon juice and ¼ tsp salt.
- Taste and adjust: it should be cool, tangy and fresh.
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Ready when: The sauce is smooth, spoonable and bright green-flecked.
8
Shred the lamb
- Discard any remaining gristle or large pieces of fat.
- Pull the lamb apart into bite-size shreds with two forks, then toss with 5–6 tablespoons of the reduced juices so the meat is moist and glossy.
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Ready when: Meat pulls apart in long, tender strands and looks juicy, not dry.
Tip: Shred while the lamb is still warm. Cold lamb fat firms up and makes shredding harder.
9
Serve
- Pile the lamb onto a platter with the reserved onions, spoon over the remaining reduced juices, and top with whole mint leaves and pomegranate seeds if using.
- Serve with the mint yogurt sauce on the side, with rice, warm flatbread or salad.
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Ready when: The lamb is steaming hot throughout.

Good to know

Tips

Pat the lamb dry before marinating so the marinade clings instead of sliding off.
Don't add extra liquid to the slow cooker. The lamb and onions release plenty, and too much liquid dilutes the flavor.
Go by tenderness and temperature, not the clock. Slow cookers vary, so check at 7 hours on LOW.
For a browned finish, spread the shredded lamb on a sheet pan and broil 3–4 minutes until the edges crisp.

Make ahead

Marinate the lamb up to 18 hours ahead. The cooked lamb and juices can be made 2 days ahead: store them together in the fridge, then reheat gently. The mint yogurt sauce keeps best made the day of serving.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Fridge: store shredded lamb in its juices in an airtight container for up to 4 days; keep the yogurt sauce separate for up to 2 days. Freezer: freeze lamb with juices for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat covered in a skillet over medium-low heat or in a 325°F (160°C) oven with a splash of water until steaming hot (165°F / 74°C). Don't freeze the yogurt sauce.

Substitutions

boneless lamb shoulder → bone-in lamb shoulder, about 4 lb (1.8 kg). Cook the same time on LOW; remove the bone and fat before shredding. Expect slightly less meat yield.
plain whole-milk Greek yogurt → full-fat plain (non-Greek) yogurt. Works, but the marinade is runnier, so cut the water to 2 tbsp.
fresh mint leaves → fresh flat-leaf parsley plus 1 tsp dried mint. Gives a similar herbal flavor when fresh mint is unavailable.
sweet paprika → smoked paprika. Adds a smoky note; use the same amount.