Slow-Cooked Family Meals ✓ 7 Months+

Slow-Cooked Lamb Rack Stew

A simple slow-cooked lamb stew made with tender lamb, carrots, potatoes, garlic, lemon, and warm spices. The lamb cooks low and slow until very tender, then the stew is served with rice for a comforting family meal.

CookAbout 4 hours

ServesFamily meal

Age7 months+

Ingredients

1 rack of lamb, about 1.5 lb, cut into individual chops
1 medium-large onion, chopped
1 tsp turmeric
2 garlic cloves, crushed
½ tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp sumac, optional
3 medium carrots, cut into chunks
2 medium potatoes, cut into chunks
Juice of ½ lemon, or more to taste
Good quality sea salt, to taste
Filtered water, just enough to cover the lamb
Grass-fed butter, ghee, or another cooking fat, for browning
Cooked rice, for serving

This page contains affiliate links. I only recommend products I use and trust.

Why this works so well A rack of lamb cut into individual chops is an easy way to get bone-in lamb without needing a whole shoulder or leg. The bones and long simmer give the broth extra body and flavor, and by the time the stew is ready the meat pulls away easily, tender enough for the whole family, including your baby.

Instructions

1 Heat a little butter, ghee, or cooking fat in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. We use our Calphalon stainless steel stock pot for this.
2 Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent.
3 Add the turmeric and stir for about 30 seconds.
4 Add the crushed garlic and stir briefly.
5 Add the lamb pieces to the pot. Sprinkle the coriander, black pepper, cinnamon, and optional sumac over the lamb.
6 Brown the lamb on both sides, turning the pieces so they become coated in the onion, garlic, and spices.
7 Add enough filtered water to just cover the lamb.
8 Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover partially and simmer gently for 3 to 4 hours, until the lamb is very tender.
9 About 1 hour before serving, add the carrots and salt to taste.
10 About 30 minutes before serving, add the potatoes and the lemon juice. If you prefer the potatoes very soft, you can add the carrots and potatoes together about 1 hour before the stew is finished instead.
11 Continue simmering until the vegetables are tender and the lamb easily pulls away from the bone.
12 Taste the broth and adjust the salt and lemon juice if needed.
13 Serve warm with rice, spooning some of the broth over the rice.

For baby: Remove the lamb meat carefully from the bone and check thoroughly for any small bones or fragments. Shred the lamb very finely and serve with soft carrot, potato, rice, and a little broth. Mash or soften everything as needed for your baby's eating skills.

Recipe Notes

Lamb rack: A rack of lamb cut into individual chops works very well here. We use the Australian lamb rack from Costco. The bones add flavor to the broth during the long cooking time.
Sumac: Optional. It adds a subtle tang, but the stew is still flavorful without it.
Lemon: Add the lemon juice toward the end with the potatoes so the flavor stays fresh and bright.
Vegetables: Adding the carrots earlier and potatoes later helps keep the potatoes from breaking down too much.
Broth: Keep the simmer gentle. If too much liquid evaporates during the long cook, add a little more boiling filtered water.

Adaptations by Age

Age	How to serve
7 to 12 months	Remove the lamb from the bone and check thoroughly for small bones or fragments. Shred very finely and serve with soft carrot, potato, rice, and a little broth, mashed or softened as needed.
Toddlers	Serve shredded lamb with vegetables and rice, cut or mashed to a texture your toddler can manage.
Family	Serve warm with rice, spooning the broth generously over the top.

Storage

🧊 Fridge

Up to 2 days in an airtight container. Why we keep cooked meat for 2 days only. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water or broth.

Why This Nourishes

🍖

Bone-In Lamb

Slow simmering helps break down connective tissue into gelatin, giving the broth a rich body and flavor

🥕

Carrots & Potatoes

Provide beta-carotene, potassium, and gentle fiber, softening beautifully during the long simmer

🍋

Lemon

Adds brightness and balances the richness of the slow-cooked lamb

🌿

Turmeric & Spices

Traditional warm spices that add depth and flavor to the stew