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Deliciously soft, tender and succulent… OH MY this Slow Roasted Shoulder of Lamb is cooked low and slow for the ultimate pull-apart crowd pleaser joint of meat. Perfect for tucking into on Sundays, Easter or any time!
Cook your shoulder of lamb nice and slowly to get that unbelievable aromatic, tender meat that is SO full of flavour because of it.
The herb crust that infuses into the lamb beforehand gives us that delicate but mouthwatering edge for a truly special dish that is so simple to create!
After the crust is rubbed onto the joint, the rest is taken care of by the oven until it’s time to serve.
Four hours later (and your kitchen smelling divine), we have delightfully moist lamb that just falls off the bone and ready to serve.
Why you’ll love this Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulder recipe
⭐️ Simple, easy and no faff
⭐️ BIG results and amazing flavours
⭐️ Great value but impressive for special occasion
Why Choose Lamb shoulder?
While lamb shoulder might not be as popular as a leg of lamb, I urge you to try it for your cut of meat choice for Sunday roast or Easter lunch.
Why?
It’s the kind of joint that is relatively fatty, which means two things: it has an unbelievable flavour when cooked with the bone in, and it is ridiculously succulent when cooked for a long time on a low temperature.
It’s also a really easy joint to cook with because it doesn’t really dry out (less room for error) and can be left alone in the oven.
The flavour of the meat is enough on its own, but for this recipe we’re adding a simple herb crust with garlic, mint and rosemary that just elevates the whole thing.
Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulder Ingredients
- Lamb shoulder – This should have the bone in. For this recipe we’re using a 2kg cut. This weight doesn’t need to be exact, just thereabouts. You can get this from the butcher or supermarket
- Fresh herbs – For the rub we’re using the leave from fresh mint and rosemary, as well as some cloves of garlic
- Lemons – The liquid for the rub is made up of lemon juice, as well as olive oil and some salt and pepper
How to cook lamb shoulder in the oven
1. Blitz together the mint, rosemary, parsley, garlic, lemon zest, salt and pepper and olive oil. Add more olive oil if needed to make a smooth paste.
2. Use a sharp knife to carefully make slits crossways, then add the rub liberally all over the lamb shoulder. Put the lid on and cook in a preheated oven until the meat pulls apart with a spoon, as per the recipe below.
Leftovers
In the fridge You can keep this recipe in the fridge for 3 days.
You can use any leftover meat in dishes such as Shepherd’s Pie, Lamb Tagine or Lamb Curry.
It would also be great cold in sandwiches, salads or wraps.
In the freezer This will be fine to freeze, but make sure you defrost it and reheat thoroughly. Results would be best if the meat is in a sauce dish, like the ones above.
Top tips
Crisp up the edges
If the lamb crust isn’t crispy enough at the end of cooking, turn the oven up to 220℃, remove the lid and cook for the last 20 minutes at that high temperature to crisp it.
Shoulder of lamb cooking times
This recipe cooks at 140℃ fan/160℃ (which is 320F or Gas Mark 3) for about 4 hours. I find this gives the perfectly melting and soft lamb shoulder that you’re looking for.
Use the juices in your gravy
Allow your meat juices to separate, then drain off the fat and use the remaining goodness from the lamb in your gravy (try my simple onion gravy for this dish).
OptioN: Serve it as pulled lamb
To dish this up as a more relaxed meal, remove all of the cooked lamb from the bones, shred it up and serve it with tortillas, sour cream, cheese, avocados and lime wedges. Delicious.
Serve this Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulder with…
Side Dishes
Simple Onion Gravy
Side Dishes
Roast Potatoes {Best Ever Easy Recipe!}
Side Dishes
Cauliflower Cheese {Easiest Ever Recipe!}
Side Dishes
Honey Roasted Carrots and Parsnips
FAQs
Yes! Try something a little different with my Parmentier Potatoes or Boulangere Potatoes. You could even go for Jacket Potatoes if you want a less formal dinner.
Blitzing it up in a processor is the quickest and easiest method. I use my beloved Mini Food Chopper for this job. It’s so useful, easy to get in and out of the cupboard and inexpensive.
Yes! This recipe is slightly different, and there are a few tips to follow, so take a look at my Slow Cooker Lamb Shoulder here.
Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ below.
Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).
Slow Roasted Shoulder of Lamb
Ingredients
- 2 kg Lamb shoulder (bone in), This weight doesn’t need to be exact, just thereabouts
For the rub:
- 30 g Fresh mint, Removed from the stalks, leaves only
- 30 g Fresh rosemary, Removed from the stalks, leaves only
- 30 g Fresh parsley
- 4 Garlic cloves, Peeled
- 2 Lemons
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 tbsp Olive oil
To garnish:
- 10 g Fresh mint
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 140℃ fan/160℃/Gas Mark 3.
- Blitz together the mint, rosemary, garlic, lemon zest, salt and pepper and olive oil.
- Add more olive oil if needed to make a smooth paste.
- Use a sharp knife to carefully make slits crossways, then add the rub liberally all over the lamb shoulder in a lidded casserole dish.
- Put the lid on and cook for about 4 hours, until the meat pulls apart with a spoon.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this out in preparation for Easter. Oh my, so good! Will definitely be making this again.
Hey Sarah, your lamb recipe looks very yummy! I can not wait to make one at home. Is it easy to make?
Hi Jina, yes it’s super easy!
Congratulations on your new digs and thank you for sharing this lovely recipe!