Slow cooker lamb stew

• sunflower oil↗1 tbsp tbsp
• smoked streaky bacon↗200g g

  preferably in one piece, skinned and cut into chunks

• cheap stewing lamb↗900g g

  like middle neck or scrag (ask at your butcher counter), cut into large chunks

• small bunch thyme↗
• onions↗3

  thickly sliced

• carrots↗5

  cut into big chunks

• medium potatoes↗6

  cut into big chunks

• lamb stock↗700ml ml
• bay leaves↗3
• pearl barley↗85g g
• large leek↗1

  washed and cut into chunks

• small knob of butter

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Heat the slow cooker if necessary, then heat the oil in a frying pan. Sizzle the bacon until crisp, tip into the slow-cooker pot, then brown the chunks of lamb in the pan. Transfer to the slow-cooker pot along with the thyme, onions, carrots, potatoes, stock, bay leaves and enough water to cover the lamb. Cover and cook on Low for 7 hrs.

2. 2

   Stir in the pearl barley and leek, and cook on High for 1 hr more until the pearl barley is tender.

3. 3

   Stir in the butter, season and serve scooped straight from the dish.