Braised leg of lamb - Testing

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/241514/slow-cooker-roasted-leg-of-lamb/ https://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Braised-Leg-of-Lamb https://thehealthyfoodie.com/braised-leg-of-lamb/

0 - In preparing the ingredients for my first attempt at this frankensteined recipe, I realized that I am limited by the size of my crock pot, which cannot accommodate the amount of vegetables I'd initially set my heart on. I've adjusted the quantity from 3 lbs potatoes, 6 large carrots and 1 large onion. I also made a slight change by laying the rosemary on the bottom, under the meat.
1 - The meat was very well cooked, tender and juice, but the vegetables were all undercooked, especially the carrots. I had to keep the meat warm and put the veg on the stove to cook. I wonder, should I have put them all on the bottom and the meat on top, instead of the veg all around?

1 boneless leg of lamb (3-4 lbs)
2 Tbsps lard (or other healthy cooking fat) (I used reserved fat rendered from cooking other lamb)
1 lb potatoes, cleaned and cut to size
4 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
3-4 carrots, in chunks
6 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
1 onion, cut into wedges
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup red wine
Minced flat-leaf parsley, to garnish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Bring leg of lamb to room temperature (about 2 hours).
2. Melt the lard in a large heavy skillet set over high heat. Sprinkle the leg of lamb generously with salt and pepper and place it in the hot pan; brown well on all sides.
3. Arrange potatoes, garlic, carrots, rosemary, bay leaves, and onions around lamb; pour in chicken stock and wine. Season wine mixture with salt and pepper.
4. Cook on Low, without removing the cover, for 5 hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 145 degrees F (65 degrees C). Let lamb rest for 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Transfer lamb and vegetables to a large serving platter and sprinkle with minced parsley; serve pan juices on the side.