Slow roasting a lamb shoulder can sound like an intimidating task, but don’t be turned away by a cook time of 8 hours! The effort is manageable (the oven does most of the work), and it’s worth it to have a delicious protein you can eat on all week. It really is some prep, marinating, cook for 2.5 hours, check it/add water, then cook for another 2.5 hours, and then assemble for a meal. Plus your house will smell amazing, and the folks you’re cooking for will feel the love in this dish.
Here is a recipe we love for Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulder with Homemade Harissa:
https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/slow-roasted-lamb-shoulder-homemade-harissa
If you don’t have a lot of time, which a lot of us don’t, there are some shortcuts to make life easier.
- If you are missing spices from the aforementioned recipe, or don’t want to make your own harissa, this jar of harissa from Trader Joe’s is great. Be sure to add salt and pepper to your liking, we’ve found it needs both to really get the best tasting shoulder.
- You can always save on time by cooking in your instant pot instead of the oven. What worked for us was cooking the shoulder in the instant pot for 1.5 – 2 hours (depending on the weight of the shoulder), then putting it in the oven, at 500 degrees for 10 minutes to crisp up the edges.
Whichever method is best for you, this lamb shoulder will come out delicious, and be a crowd favorite. Here we served up the lamb with sliced scallions, roasted carrots, homemade naan, a salad of greens, hummus, rice, and dolmas.
