Slow Cooker Lamb Rogan Josh

A proper rogan josh is not a quick-supper curry. It is a long, slow, deeply spiced braise – Kashmiri in origin, built on dried chillies and whole spices, and completely at home in a slow cooker. This slow cooker lamb rogan josh is the version I make when I want the real thing without standing over a pan for two hours: bone-in lamb shoulder, overnight in my Crock-Pot slow cooker, with a paste made from scratch beforehand.

Lamb from Baena

I picked up a bone-in shoulder at a carnicería in Baena, in Córdoba province, on the way home from our secret parkup. The paste was already made, a couple of days earlier, so all that was left was to get everything into the slow cooker at Casa Adora and leave it overnight.

By morning the lamb had fallen off the bone and the sauce had reduced to something thick and ochre-red, with that particular deep warmth that only comes from Kashmiri chillies and long, low heat.

One portion for now, one for the freezer. That is the Crock-Pot economy, and it works perfectly for cooking for one.

The Paste

This recipe assumes you have already made my Nearly Patak's paste. If you haven't, make it first – it's quick to put together and keeps for two weeks in the fridge. A good-quality shop-bought paste is a perfectly reasonable alternative, but the homemade version is noticeably better and the difference shows in a slow-cooked dish like this.

Slow Cooker Lamb Rogan Josh – The Recipe

Serves 2

Or serves 1, with a portion for the freezer.

Ingredients

• 600–700g bone-in lamb shoulder, cut into large pieces
• 4 tbsp paste (homemade or shop-bought)
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 2 medium onions, finely sliced
• 150ml lamb or chicken stock
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp full-fat yoghurt, to finish (optional)

Method

1. Brown the lamb. If your slow cooker insert is hob-safe, heat the ghee in it directly over a medium-high flame. If not, use a heavy frying pan. Season the lamb pieces and brown them well on all sides – do this in batches if needed, without crowding the pan. Set aside.
2. Soften the onions. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the sliced onions to the same pan and cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to colour. Don't rush this – the onions are the base of the sauce.
3. Add the paste. Stir the paste into the onions to coat them. Cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
4. Combine. Return the lamb to the slow cooker insert (transfer everything back in if you used a separate pan). Pour in the stock and stir to combine. The liquid should come about halfway up the meat – you're braising, not boiling.
5. Cook. Cook on LOW for 8 hours, or HIGH for 5 hours. The lamb is done when it pulls easily from the bone with a fork.
6. Shred. Lift the lamb pieces out and shred the meat off the bone, discarding any large pieces of fat. Return the shredded meat to the sauce and stir to combine. Taste and adjust the salt.
7. Finish. Stir through the yoghurt off the heat, if using. Serve with steamed basmati or jasmine rice and warm flatbread.

A Few Notes

The bone. Bone-in shoulder gives more flavour than boneless – the collagen and marrow enrich the sauce during the long cook. If you can only find boneless shoulder, reduce the cooking time by about an hour.

The paste quantity. Four tablespoons is the starting point. If your paste is mild, go to five. The sauce should be deeply coloured and warmly spiced – not fiery, but not shy either.

The stock. Lamb stock is ideal. Chicken stock works well. Water at a pinch. This is a paste-forward dish, so the stock is mainly there to keep everything moist during the long cook.

The yoghurt. Stir it in off the heat to avoid splitting. It softens the sauce and rounds the spice. Leave it out for a fully dairy-free version – the dish is excellent either way.

Freezing. Freeze in portions before adding the yoghurt. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the hob, adding a splash of water if needed. Stir in the yoghurt fresh when serving.

Serving

This slow cooker lamb rogan josh is best with steamed basmati rice and something to mop up the sauce – flatbread, naan, or a good sourdough if that's what's on hand. A simple cucumber raita alongside, if you want to keep things cool.

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This slow cooker lamb rogan josh is featured in my Slow Cooker & Slow Cooking Recipes, Lamb & Goat Recipes and Curry Recipes hubs.

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Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures — The Flexible Chef