Simple & Tender Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulder Recipe for Sundays

Succulent slow roasted lamb shoulder crafts ordinary dinners into memorable culinary experiences.

Tender meat falling effortlessly from the bone represents comfort and warmth on any dining table.

Rich, deep flavors develop through careful preparation and patient cooking techniques.

Mediterranean traditions inspire this hearty dish that connects generations through shared meals.

Carefully selected herbs and spices create a complex aromatic profile that elevates humble ingredients.

Minimal effort yields maximum deliciousness when understanding the fundamental principles of low-temperature roasting.

Techniques passed down through family kitchens ensure consistently remarkable results.

How to Store This Roast Without Drying It Out

• Refrigeration
• Store leftover lamb shoulder in an airtight container within 2 hours of cooking. Seal tightly to prevent moisture loss and wrap in plastic wrap or aluminum foil before placing in the refrigerator. Consume within 3-4 days for optimal flavor and texture.
• Freezing Method
• Slice or shred lamb before freezing to preserve quality. Place in freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags, removing excess air. Frozen lamb shoulder stays fresh for up to 3 months when properly sealed. Label containers with date and contents for easy tracking.
• Reheating Technique
• Restore moisture by reheating lamb in a covered oven-safe dish at 325 F. Splash a little broth or water to prevent drying, covering with foil to trap steam.

Bold Pairings for Rich, Slow-Roasted Lamb

• Pair with Bold Red Wine: A robust Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah complements the rich, succulent lamb shoulder, cutting through its fatty texture and enhancing the deep, savory flavors.
• Herb-Infused Side Dish: Roasted rosemary potatoes or creamy polenta create a perfect accompaniment, absorbing the lamb's complex sauce and providing a delightful textural contrast.
• Bright Mediterranean Salad: A crisp Greek salad with feta, cucumber, and kalamata olives offers a refreshing counterpoint to the heavy meat, balancing the dish with tangy and zesty notes.
• Cooling Mint Tzatziki: A traditional Greek yogurt-based sauce with fresh mint and cucumber provides a cool, creamy element that beautifully matches the lamb's intense flavor profile and helps cleanse the palate.

Twists on Classic Lamb That Work Wonders

• Mediterranean Lamb: Swap sun-dried tomatoes with roasted red peppers, add oregano and rosemary to the sauce for a Greek-inspired flavor profile.
• Moroccan Spiced Lamb: Replace mint leaves with ras el hanout spice blend, include ground cumin and coriander for a North African touch. Garnish with toasted almonds and fresh cilantro.
• Asian-Inspired Lamb: Modify sauce by adding ginger, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Incorporate five-spice powder and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds for an East Asian character.
• Herb-Crusted Lamb: Create a herb crust using breadcrumbs, thyme, sage, and lemon zest. Pat the mixture onto the lamb before roasting to add a crispy, aromatic exterior.

Why Patience Pays Off with This Lamb Shoulder

• Melt-in-Your-Mouth Tenderness: The slow roasting method breaks down tough lamb fibers, creating an incredibly soft and succulent meat that literally falls apart with each forkful.
• Flavor-Packed Sauce Adventure: The unique sauce blends tangy Worcestershire, bright vinegar, sweet sugar, and fresh herbs, delivering a complex flavor profile that elevates the entire dish beyond ordinary roasted meats.
• Effortless Impressive Cooking: Despite looking like a gourmet restaurant creation, this recipe requires minimal hands-on time and uses simple techniques that even novice cooks can master, making it perfect for weekend gatherings or special family dinners.
• One-Pan Wonder Convenience: The entire meal comes together in a single roasting pan, minimizing cleanup and allowing home cooks to enjoy a restaurant-quality dish without complicated preparation steps.

What to Buy for Slow Roast Brilliance

• Lamb Shoulder: A tender, flavorful cut perfect for slow roasting with rich marbling and deep meat texture.

• Worcestershire Sauce, Soy Sauce: Adds complex umami depth and enhances meat flavor.
• Apple Cider Vinegar: Provides tangy brightness and helps tenderize the meat.
• Sugar: Balances acidity and promotes caramelization.
• Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Contributes concentrated sweet-tangy flavor.
• Mint Leaves, Parsley: Fresh herbs that add bright, aromatic notes.
• Lemon Juice: Adds citrusy brightness and helps balance rich flavors.
• Hot Water: Helps blend and dilute sauce ingredients.
• Garlic: Provides robust, pungent base flavor.

• Olive Oil: Helps create crispy exterior and promotes even browning.
• Salt, Pepper: Essential seasonings for enhancing natural meat flavors.
• Onion: Provides sweet aromatic base and adds moisture during roasting.

Slow-Cook Your Way to Lamb Heaven

Step 1: Prep The Lamb

Remove lamb shoulder from refrigerator 1 hour before cooking to reach room temperature.

Step 2: Create Flavor-Packed Marinade

• Worcestershire sauce
• Apple cider vinegar
• Sugar
• Soy sauce
• Garlic
• Sun-dried tomatoes
• Mint leaves
• Parsley
• Lemon juice
• Hot water

Pulse until creating a chunky, vibrant sauce.

Step 3: Season And Score The Meat

Place lamb shoulder on cutting board with fat side facing up.

Create several diagonal slashes across surface.

Drizzle with olive oil.

Generously season with salt and pepper.

Step 4: First Sauce Coating

Cover lamb with half of prepared sauce.

Keep remaining sauce chilled in refrigerator.

Step 5: Roasting Preparation

• Sliced onion rings
• Smashed garlic cloves

Gently place lamb on top of vegetables, fat side up.

Pour water into pan.

Cover entire pan tightly with aluminum foil.

Step 6: Initial Roasting

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Roast lamb for 3 hours.

Step 7: Final Browning

Remove foil cover.

Increase oven temperature to 425°F.

• Top becomes golden brown
• Internal temperature reaches 145°F

Step 8: Resting And Serving

Allow lamb to rest 20 minutes.

Drizzle with reserved sauce before serving.

Flavor Boosting Tips for Fall-Apart Tenderness

• Prep Like a Pro: Take the lamb out of the fridge an hour before cooking to ensure even temperature and more tender meat.
• Slash and Season: Create deep cuts across the fat layer to help render fat and allow marinade to penetrate deeply, maximizing flavor absorption.
• Low and Slow Magic: Maintain a consistent low temperature during initial roasting to break down tough connective tissues, guaranteeing melt-in-your-mouth texture.
• Sauce Strategy: Save half the marinade for finishing to provide a fresh, vibrant flavor boost right before serving, preventing sauce from becoming too concentrated during cooking.
• Rest and Relax: Always let the lamb rest after roasting to redistribute juices, ensuring each slice remains incredibly succulent and prevents dry meat.

Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulder Recipe

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.8 from 21 reviews

• Total Time: 4 hours 35 minutes
• Yield: 6 1x

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Mediterranean lamb shoulder promises a rich culinary journey through robust flavors and tender meat. Marinated with rosemary, garlic, and olive oil, this succulent dish invites you to savor a hearty meal that celebrates traditional Greek cooking techniques.

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Meat:

• 4 pounds bone-in lamb shoulder

Seasonings:

• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Aromatics and Base Ingredients:

• 2 large yellow onions, peeled and cut into thick rings
• 10 cloves garlic (4 roughly chopped, 6 smashed)
• ⅓ cup fresh mint leaves
• ⅓ cup fresh parsley
• 2 lemons, juiced

Sauce and Liquid Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ½ cup chopped, oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
• ¼ cup hot water
• 1 cup water

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Liberate the lamb shoulder from refrigeration approximately 60 minutes prior to culinary preparation, allowing it to reach ambient temperature.
2. Calibrate the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (232 degrees Celsius).
3. Utilize a food processor to amalgamate Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, granulated sugar, soy sauce, minced garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh mint leaves, chopped parsley, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and warm water, creating a textured sauce mixture.
4. Position the lamb shoulder on a spacious cutting surface with fat layer facing upward, then meticulously score multiple diagonal incisions across the surface.
5. Massage the meat with extra virgin olive oil, then generously season with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
6. Lavishly coat the lamb with approximately half of the prepared sauce, strategically preserving the remaining portion in refrigeration.
7. Distribute sliced onion rings and crushed garlic cloves within a robust roasting pan, then carefully nestle the lamb atop the aromatic bed.
8. Gently pour of water into the pan’s base and completely encase the roasting pan with aluminum foil.
9. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius) and roast for approximately 3 hours.
10. Cautiously remove the foil covering, escalate oven temperature to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (218 degrees Celsius), and continue roasting for an additional 20-25 minutes until the exterior develops a rich, caramelized appearance.
11. Verify the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit (63 degrees Celsius) using a meat thermometer.
12. Allow the lamb to rest undisturbed for 20 minutes, enabling internal juices to redistribute.
13. Before serving, delicately drizzle the reserved sauce over the succulent lamb shoulder.

Notes

• Perfectly timed lamb requires removing it from the refrigerator one hour before cooking to ensure even temperature and tender results.
• Create a vibrant, chunky sauce by blending fresh herbs, tangy vinegar, and umami-rich ingredients for a flavor-packed marinade.
• Strategic slashing of fat allows better sauce penetration and helps develop a crispy, caramelized exterior during roasting.
• Low and slow cooking method breaks down tough muscle fibers, transforming the lamb shoulder into melt-in-your-mouth tender meat.
• Resting the meat after roasting allows juices to redistribute, guaranteeing a succulent and juicy final dish.
• Finish with a high-temperature blast to achieve a beautiful golden-brown crust that adds depth and visual appeal.

• Prep Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 3 hours 25 minutes
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Roasting
• Cuisine: Greek

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 6
• Calories: 450 cal
• Sugar: 3 g
• Sodium: 580 mg
• Fat: 32 g
• Saturated Fat: 14 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 8 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 35 g
• Cholesterol: 135 mg