Hogget sits between lamb and mutton — deeper flavour, still tender when you give the shoulder time. 1kg Hogget Lamb Bone-in Shoulder Chunks is bone-in shoulder pieces built for braise, stew, and slow cooker pots. Shop it in lamb and the wider buy lamb online range; compare roasting joints in lamb joints when the week needs a carvery instead.
Slow braise and casserole
Pat the chunks dry and season. Brown in batches in a hot casserole with a little oil — bone-in pieces need space so the meat colours instead of steams. Soft onion, carrot, and garlic in the same pot, then return the lamb with stock, a splash of wine or ale, rosemary or thyme, and a bay leaf. Cover and cook at 160°C for 2.5 to 3.5 hours until the meat yields off the bone. Skim excess fat if you like, then reduce the liquor on the hob for a thicker gravy. Probe is less useful than fork tenderness here — when a chunk pulls apart easily, you are done.
Slow cooker method
Brown as above, then tip into the slow cooker with vegetables and stock. Low for 7 to 9 hours or high for 4 to 5. Bone adds body to the gravy — leave it in during the cook and lift out before serving if you prefer a cleaner bowl. Season at the end; early salt can tighten the meat. If the sauce is thin, lid off on high for the last 30 minutes or thicken with a cornflour slurry. Leftovers freeze well in their gravy for another stew night.
What to serve
Mash, couscous, or crusty bread to mop the juices. A sharp mint sauce or pickled red cabbage cuts the richness. Browse lamb joints when you want a whole shoulder roast instead of chunks, and lamb for chops and mince alongside.
Times above are a guide for home ovens, air fryers and slow cookers — always trust a probe over the clock, and rest meat before you carve so the juices stay in the slice, not on the board. British packs vary a little in thickness, so start checking a few minutes early the first time you cook a new size.
Write your own fridge note the first time you cook a new pack size — home ovens and air fryers vary, and a two-minute early check beats dry meat. Rest on a warm plate, not a cold board, so the juices stay put when you carve or plate up.