This slow cooker lamb cawl is a traditional Welsh broth made with bone-in lamb neck, a full load of root vegetables, and 2 litres of water left all day in the slow cooker until the lamb falls apart and the stock becomes rich and clear.

The recipe is from Ceri Jones Chef. Cawl isn’t a thick stew it’s a broth dish where the lamb is there to flavour the stock and the vegetables do the work. Ceri uses bone-in neck, which gives the deepest result, and adds leeks only in the final stretch so they hold their texture. The whole thing is finished with a handful of fresh parsley and served with crusty bread, butter, and a hunk of strong cheese at the table.

The recipe improves significantly the next day. The Welsh even have a name for it — cawl twymo, warmed-up cawl — and it’s traditionally made in a big batch and eaten across several days.

Slow Cooker Lamb Cawl

Recipe by Shili MohamedCourse: SoupsCuisine: WelshDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

8

hours 

Calories

300

kcal

A traditional Welsh slow cooker broth with bone-in lamb neck and a full load of root vegetables rich, clear stock made from nothing but water, lamb, and time.

Ingredients

• Knob of butter or drizzle of olive oil

• 600g bone-in lamb neck, seasoned with sea salt and black pepper

• 2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed

• 2 carrots, peeled and cubed

• 2 parsnips, peeled and diced

• 2 small turnips, cleaned and diced

• 1 small swede, peeled and diced

• 2 leeks, thinly sliced

• Handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped

• 2 litres of water

Directions

• Heat a frying pan with butter or oil. Sear the seasoned lamb on all sides until browned. Transfer to the slow cooker. (Optional but recommended.)
• Add the potatoes, carrots, parsnips, turnips, and swede. Pour over the 2 litres of water.
• Cook on low for 6–8 hours or on high for 3–4 hours, until the lamb is completely tender.
• Add the leeks 30–45 minutes before the end of cooking.
• Remove the lamb, shred the meat and discard the bones. Return the meat to the pot.
• Skim any fat from the surface. Taste and season. Scatter over the parsley and serve with bread, butter, and cheese.

FAQs

Do I need to sear the lamb first?

Not strictly necessary, but searing adds colour and depth to the finished broth that you won’t get otherwise it takes five minutes and makes a noticeable difference.

Can I use a different cut of lamb?

Shoulder and chops both work as substitutes. Bone-in is always preferable for a cawl, as the bones are what give the broth its richness and body.

Why are the leeks added so late?

Leeks added at the start of a long slow cook lose all their texture and essentially dissolve. Going in for the last 30–45 minutes, they stay just tender and still taste like leeks.

Does the recipe really just use water, not stock?

Yes. The bone-in lamb and the root vegetables together create the stock as they cook there’s no need for anything from a carton. It’s one of the things that makes cawl so straightforward.

What cheese should I serve with it?

Caerphilly is the traditional Welsh choice crumbly, sharp, and acidic in a way that plays off the rich fatty broth perfectly. A good mature cheddar is equally good if Caerphilly isn’t available.

What else goes well with this?

Crusty bread and butter are non-negotiable. For another slow cooker lamb recipe worth trying, slow cooker Middle Eastern pulled lamb takes a different direction with the same cut. If you’d like something on the table alongside it, slow cooker chicken and leek casserole shares the leek as its centrepiece and works well as a companion dish.