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About This Lamb Shoulder Roast
This recipe works for both bone-in lamb shoulder and boneless lamb shoulder. Even so, we recommend that you use a bone-in cut here and prepare the boneless version using our rolled boneless lamb shoulder roast recipe which is calibrated for its particular merits.
Expect fall off the bone tender lamb meat that is saturated with flavor, juicy and very versatile in terms of how it can be enjoyed. You cannot make a mistake here - the most difficult thing in slow roasting lamb shoulder is budgeting enough time so the cut can realize its full potential.
Whether you have cooked lamb before or its your very first time - you will find the process easy to follow and the results satisfying.
What Type of Lamb Shoulder Cut Works Best for Slow Roasting?
Both bone-in lamb shoulder and its boneless variations are wonderful cuts for slow roasting. This recipe really shines with the bone-in square-cut lamb shoulder roast which is pictured below.
The lamb shoulder is comprised of a very complex group of muscles used for locomotion with a corresponding amount of connective tissue. This translates to a lot of tough meat. At the same time the shoulder contains some of the most tender muscles of the animal, such as the teres major, but because of lamb's small size these are not extracted to be sold and used separately but rather remain contained in the roast cut.
Because of this the shoulder of lamb is less common as a whole bone-in roast than the all popular leg of lamb and normally is cut into stew meat or braised when deboned.
Square-Cut Lamb Shoulder
The square-cut shoulder of lamb extends from the neck to the fourth rib and is usually a large, heavy cut perfect for family roasts. It also contains the scapula bone which is easy to remove once the meat is fork tender.
The cut looks as pictured above and below - top view angle as well as a vertically situated sideways angle.
The square cut shoulder forms the basis for lamb shoulder chops. They are carved from it and contain elements of the shoulder bones.
Best Way to Cook Bone-in Lamb Shoulder
The square-cut shoulder yields intensely flavored and rich meat when prepared correctly.
Due to its nature bone-in lamb shoulder is best prepared by slow cooking at low temperature and more often than not with moist heat, known as braising. This is in order to allow time for the collagen to slowly liquify and saturate the meat with flavor while releasing it from the bones. At the same time the fat melts and its robust taste permeates the roast.
The shoulder of lamb is receptive to a variety of flavor combinations and even welcomes sweetness such as from the addition of honey, hoisin sauce or dark fruit such as dates or figs.
Ingredients
The combination of flavors we use below features a classic Mediterranean line up of ingredients which most people relate to easily. We combine them to create a wet rub with a pasty consistency which we brush all over the lamb shoulder.
Bone-in lamb shoulder. The average weight is around six pounds, domestic animals are bigger than lamb imported from Australia and New Zealand.
Shallots, garlic, fresh rosemary. Classic aromatics choice, the three complement lamb meat very well and infuse the meat during roasting while perfuming your kitchen with the most tantalizing aromas.
Olive oil, lemon juice and Dijon mustard. Use extra virgin olive oil for more flavor and stick with Dijon mustard as the emulsifier as it has a particular umami flavor that works so well here.
Kosher salt and black pepper. Use to taste, but generously.
Step-by-Step
There are two simple stages involved in roasting lamb shoulder. The preparation and the slow roasting. That's it.
TIP: Allow the lamb shoulder to reach room temperature by leaving it on the counter before you begin. If you start with it cold, the slow roasting will end up being really, really slow, testing your patience:)
Preparation. Pre-heat your oven to 450 F. (This is to brown the roast before you begin slow cooking it). Prepare the wet rub (a hand-held blender works great). Score the fat on top of the shoulder with a sharp knife (trim excess) and brush the entire lamb roast with the rub. Place it on top of the rack of a roasting pan and then in the oven for about 30 mins.
Slow roasting. After 30 minutes the lamb shoulder should have developed enough surface flavors and is ready to transition to slow roasting. Take the roasting pan out of the oven. Lower the temperature to 300 F. Add the chicken stock (the moisture it will provide is key) and then tent it with foil as shown below.
In about 2 hours you can add some water and after 3 hours of slow roasting you can begin checking for tenderness (it will not be tender yet, but you will get an idea of how many hours more to expect it to stay in the oven). The larger the roast, the longer the time.
When tender enough, allow it to rest before you start shredding it as it will be quite hot.
Internal Temperature for Lamb Shoulder Roast
The internal temperature for slow cooked lamb shoulder roast is largely irrelevant because the goal is ultra tender meat and liquified collagen.Time and tenderness are what matters, not temperature.
You can confidently put your meat thermometer away and rely on your own judgement of how tender the meat appears and tests when probed with a fork. Furthermore, if you can gently twist the scapula and effortlessly pull it out you have achieved perfectly succulent lamb shoulder!
How to Serve
The lamb shoulder will stay warm for hours after you turn off the oven (keep it tented) and you can easily reheat it if you prepared it a day early (300F, tented).
You can pull apart some of the succulent meat right in the roasting pan and allow it to absorb the delicious pan liquids, then garnish with lemon halves (we add ours to the pan during the last hour of slow roasting or so) and fresh rosemary.
Alternatively, you can place the slow roasted lamb shoulder along with the juices in a slow cooker with the warm setting on. Provide appropriate utensils on the side (a pair of kitchens tongs or suitable serving forks, spoon) for people to serve themselves.
Ways to Enjoy Lamb Shoulder Family Roast
This robust lamb shoulder roast can be enjoyed in many ways in addition to the obvious - an individual pile of meat accompanied by sides like garlicky green beans, roasted Yukon gold potatoes, roast vegetables, couscous, tomato cucumber feta salad, herbed basmati rice, green salads and more. It is perfect for Easter lamb lunch or dinner.
Gyros - the succulent lamb is absolutely delicious inside a gyro with the traditional Greek fixings.
Wraps - you can come up with all sorts of ideas, from grilled veggies to finely shredded romaine, chopped kalamata olives and shaved red onions drizzled with tahini. Be creative.
Soup - shredded leftover lamb shoulder added to a rice or noodle soup with a standard base and an egg thickener is a delight. Check out our lamb soup recipe for inspiration.
Pulled lamb and spinach risotto - make a plain risotto, just chicken stock and parmesan, use your favorite recipe. Saute spinach separately with some garlic. When ready to enjoy, fold in the spinach and the warm pulled lamb shoulder. Delicious lamb dish!
You Might Enjoy
Lamb Shish Kebab (Lamb Skweres) | Lamb Ragu | Grilled Lamb Loin Chops | Grilled Lamb Steak | Slow Roast Leg of Lamb | Braised Lamb Shanks
Recipe
Lamb Shoulder Roast (Fall Off the Bone Tender)
Ingredients
- 6 lbs lamb shoulder bone-in square-cut*
- 3-4 shallots
- 4-5 garlic cloves
- 4 sprigs rosemary
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard heaping
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- kosher salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 1.5 cups chicken stock or water
Instructions
- Make sure the lamb shoulder is at room temperature by leaving it on the counter for about an hour before you begin cooking. Pat it dry nicely with a paper towel.
- Pre-heat oven to 450 F.
- Rough chop the shallots and garlic, finely chop the rosemary leaves. Combine all three with the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard and salt and pepper. Using a hand-held blender make a pasty wet rub.
- Score the top of the lamb shoulder in a diamond pattern. Brush it all over with the wet rub. Place it inside a roasting pan fitted with a wire rack. Brown it for 30 minutes at 450 F.
- Remove the lamb shoulder from the oven and reduce the temperature to 300 F. Add the chicken stock to the pan**. Tent the lamb shoulder with foil as shown above in the post.
- Slow roast at 300 F for about 2 hours. Check on it and add some water to the pan. Keep tented and continue slow roasting. After another hour or so check for tenderness*** using a fork. Continue slow roasting until the meat is fork-tender and you can easily wiggle the scapula bone and remove it with tongs.
- Serve the lamb shoulder partially pulled apart and submerged in the pan juices. Alternatively, you can place it inside a slow cooker set at warm.
Carolyn
I cannot get over how tender the lamb turned out. This must have been one of the easiest things I ever did to meat (I am a bit of stranger to lamb). The flavors, the texture and the simplicity of the process make this recipe a gem. I am so thankful to you for walking me through the process.