Dutch oven lamb roast

Pot roast leg of lamb

If there’s one thing that can truly steal the show at a Sunday lunch, it’s a proper Dutch oven lamb roast. This is one of those recipes that rewards you for being a bit patient – a slow-cooked leg of lamb that ends up so tender it’s practically falling off the bone. Think rich, meaty flavour, beautifully succulent texture, and gravy that practically makes itself. What’s not to love?

I’ve always been a big fan of lamb, but this method of pot-roasting in a heavy, lidded casserole just elevates it. It reminds me a bit of the Turkish tandir lamb we once had on holiday – slow-cooked in a clay oven underground until it was crisp on the outside and juicy within. This version is less exotic in location, but the results are every bit as satisfying.

 

It is another great alternative for a family Sunday lunch instead of a roast chicken or roast beef. 

Cooking leg of lamb slowly

 

 

This is perfect served up with roasties, mash, or even stuffed into warm pita bread with tzatziki the next day (that’s what we did – just magic). It’s the sort of dish you can make for a quiet Sunday or a special occasion, knowing it’ll always impress. 

What is the best pot to use for pot roast

In this recipe, I cook the lamb in one of my trusty Le Creuset enamelled cast-iron Dutch ovens (I have two, but this was the largest one).

One of the important things to think about when you are procuring your meat is to make sure it will fit in your pot! The leg I bought was actually too big for my pot, and I had to use a hacksaw to cut off some of the bone so it would fit into my Le Creuset! Not good food planning!

You could of course also try this with a boneless leg of lamb or some lamb shoulder, depending on the size of your pot.

Le Creuset are quite expensive pots, but they will last you a lifetime. I have had mine for more than 25 years and I do swear by them.

The important thing is to make sure you have a pot with a well-sealing lid that will keep the goodness and moisture in while you are cooking, so you get a super tender, succulent result like this:

Instant Pot Leg of Lamb

Initially, I was going to make this recipe in the Instant Pot, but as the leg I had bought did not even initially fit in my casserole pot, it was never going to fit in the Instant pot.

But I think you could use the same recipe in the Instant Pot, as long as you had a smaller piece of lamb that fitted, like a lamb shank, or half a leg of lamb maybe.

So if you were wanting to make an instant pot lamb shank, for example, you could use the same recipe, and just cook instead on high pressure for 1,5 hours and you should get the same result.

You may wish to sauté the meat first on the sauté setting of your Instant Pot to avoid having to brown the meat when the cycle is finished.

I think I will try this next time as the amount of meat on this leg was way too much for the three of us, even for two days of meals.

 

Whichever method you choose, I am sure you will end up with a delicious piece of succulent meat that you can serve up as a Sunday roast dinner or in whatever tasty invention you are planning.

We ate this on day two in pita bread and in some healthy Greek-style wraps. Absolutely wonderful!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you’ve never tried a lamb roast in a Dutch oven before, this is your sign. No gimmicks, no fancy kit – just proper, slow comfort food.

Good luck trying this recipe. If you do try it, please let me know how you get on in the comments section below!

How to make a Dutch oven lamb roast

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