Roasted Lamb Shoulder
Roasted Lamb Shoulder
Lamb is one of those meats that are intimidating to learn to prepare. At least it was for me. For a long time, I loved eating lamb, but would not go near it with my tools in my kitchen. Least of all attempting a whole roast of this precious meat.
I slowly crept through preparations of smaller cuts of lamb. Chops, minced, stewing cubes (lamb is gorgeous for Indian curries!). And then I dove in. I started testing all kinds of recipes and techniques. I’ve slow roasted at very low temperatures, for hours and hours. I have also roasted at high temperatures, for shorter times. All processes I have tried have been successful, to a certain degree. But I have chosen to find a middle ground and finally am very content with this one I am sharing with you!
For the flavor there are many combinations out there you can try. But this is lamb. And one thing is true for lamb and perfect pairings of flavors. Garlic is a must! Honey and mint are second on that list. And rosemary is always used for lamb. I chose to use oregano since rosemary is not quite a star herb for some in my house. But you can use whatever herbs you like. It’s all about personal taste!
Roasted Lamb Shoulder
I definitely think honey is non negotiable here. Agave or maple syrup would work too. What you want is a very light sweetness and sticky film on the meat.
Paprika is my go to for so many roasts. Besides the wonderful simple smokiness, it also adds beautiful color to any roast. You can definitely pack more punch to this addition by using hot paprika or smoked paprika. I used mild sweet paprika so the garlic would not be tamed. We love our garlic in this house! My youngest likes to pop those tender cloves out of their skin directly into his mouth. I taught him that ;)
For the first 2.5 hours the roast has to be covered with a loose tent of parchment paper (aluminium foil works well too) as to keep the steam doing its thing to the meat and the shoulder doesn’t dry out. Make sure to check at least once during that time to see if the water has not evaporated. If so, add more as you go. Once you remove the tent, you won’t need to do that… that last hour is for browning and sealing.
Feast!!!
Roasted Lamb Shoulder
Ingredients
- 1 bone in Lamb Shoulder
- 1/2 cup Olive Oil
- 1 head of Garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 Tbsp Sweet Paprika
- 1 tsp dried Oregano
- 2 tsp coarse Salt
- 1 tsp cracked Pepper
- 1 head of Garlic, cloves separated, unpeeled
- 2 Large Red Onions, peeled and quartered
- 2 Carrots, thick slices, unpeeled
- 1 large Lemon, sliced
- 2 Tbsp Honey
- 1 Tbsp dried Mint Leaves
- 1 cup Water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170 C / 350 F
- On a large baking sheet, drizzle half of the olive oil. Place the lamb shoulder on top of the olive oil.
- With a sharp paring knife, stab the meat all over. Stabs should be deep enough to fit the tip of your pinky finger.
- Drizzle the rest of the olive oil all over the shoulder and massage it thoroughly to cover it all.
- Now massage the meat with the minced garlic, pushing some of it into the stab holes with your pinky finger.
- Sprinkle all over the meat the paprika, oregano, salt and pepper
- Place the quartered onions, cloves of garlic, carrot slices and lemon slices all around the shoulder.
- Drizzle the honey in thin ribbons all over the shoulder, then sprinkle the mint leaves on top. Add the cup of water into the tray, down one corner without washing away any seasoning on the veggies or the meat.
- With parchment paper, make a loose tent over the shoulder and vegetables to hold the steam inside.
- Place the tray on middle rack of your oven. Roast for 2.5 hours, covered. Check halfway through, if the liquid has evaporated, add one more cup to the tray. The more steam the juicier the meat comes out.
- Remove the parchment paper. Raise the heat to 190C / 375F and roast for 1 more hour.
- Remove the tray from the oven and let the meat sit on the tray for 10 minutes before serving. Make sure to drizzle the cooking juices over the shoulder when serving!