Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulder (Printable)
Melt-in-the-mouth lamb shoulder slow-roasted with aromatic spices and finished with pomegranate molasses glaze.
# What You'll Need:
→ Lamb
01 - 4.5 lb bone-in lamb shoulder, trimmed
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 2 teaspoons kosher salt
04 - 1 teaspoon black pepper
→ Spice Rub
05 - 2 teaspoons ground cumin
06 - 1.5 teaspoons ground coriander
07 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
08 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
09 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
11 - Zest of 1 lemon
→ Roasting Bed
12 - 2 large onions, thickly sliced
13 - 2 carrots, cut into chunks
14 - 1 bulb garlic, halved horizontally
15 - 1 cup chicken or lamb stock
→ Glaze
16 - 1/3 cup pomegranate molasses
17 - 2 tablespoons honey
18 - Juice of 1/2 lemon
→ Garnish
19 - 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
20 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
21 - Lemon wedges
# Directions:
01 - Preheat your oven to 320°F.
02 - In a small bowl, combine cumin, coriander, cinnamon, smoked paprika, minced garlic, rosemary, lemon zest, salt, and pepper.
03 - Rub the lamb shoulder all over with olive oil, then massage the spice mixture thoroughly into the meat.
04 - Arrange onions, carrots, and halved garlic bulb in the base of a large roasting pan. Place the lamb shoulder on top.
05 - Pour the stock into the pan around the lamb, not over it. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
06 - Roast for 3.5 hours, basting once or twice with pan juices.
07 - In a small bowl, mix pomegranate molasses, honey, and lemon juice.
08 - Remove foil. Brush the lamb generously with the glaze. Increase oven temperature to 400°F. Roast uncovered for 20-30 minutes, basting once, until caramelized and sticky.
09 - Remove lamb from oven, cover loosely with foil, and rest for 15-20 minutes before carving.
10 - Transfer to serving platter and scatter with pomegranate seeds, fresh mint, and lemon wedges.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The combination of slow roasting and aromatic spices creates a lamb so tender you could practically eat it with a spoon, no fancy carving skills required.
- The pomegranate molasses adds a tangy-sweet glaze that caramelizes beautifully, creating those irresistible crispy bits everyone fights over.
02 -
- The lamb may look undercooked at the 3-hour mark, but trust the process, the final 30 minutes of high-heat roasting with the glaze is when the magic happens.
- Pomegranate molasses burns quickly, so keep a close eye during that final high-heat roast, and if it starts to darken too much, loosely tent with foil while the meat finishes.
03 -
- The leftover meat makes incredible sandwiches the next day, especially when stuffed into warm pita with yogurt sauce and quick-pickled red onions.
- Save the roasting juices and vegetables, puree them together, and use as the base for an incredible soup or stew later in the week.