Garlicky slow cooked lamb shoulder
It takes 40 cloves of garlic (and it's worth it!)
Servings: 10
Ingredients
- 5.5 lbs bone in lamb shoulder room temperature
- 40 garlic cloves
- 4 sprigs rosemary
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 2 cups olive oil
- 4 anchovy fillets
- 1 tbsp baby capers
- 1 lemon zest and juice
- 1 cup white wine
- salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp honey
Instructions
- Preheat: Preheat the oven to 200°C / 410°F
- Make the marinade: In a small pot on a low heat, combine the 20 garlic cloves, 2 sprigs rosemary, 2 sprigs thyme and the olive oil. Bring to a slow simmer and simmer for 30 – 45 minutes or until the garlic is soft and slightly golden. Remove half of the olive oil and reserve for another use. In the same pot on the same heat, add the anchovies, baby capers and lemon zest. Cook for 5 minutes or until the anchovies have melted into the oil. Drain the oil and set to the side. Place the garlic mixture into a mortar and pestle. Pound into a paste.
- Prep lamb: Using a sharp knife, score the fat of the meat into a criss cross pattern. Try to not cut through to the meat. Rub the garlic and herb mixture all over, pushing it into the slits. Scatter the rest of the herbs and garlic into the bottom of a dutch oven or roasting tin that will hold the lamb as snugly as possible. Place the lamb on top of the herbs and garlic. Pour over the reserved olive oli, lemon juice and white wine. Season with a very generous amount of salt and pepper.
- Bake lamb: Cover very well with alfoil or a lid and place into the oven. Immediately turn the heat to 140°C or 300°F and cook for 4 hours or until the lamb is extremely soft and tender and falling off the bone.
- Hone: Drizzle honey over the lamb the last 15 minutes before it has finished cooking. Leave the lid off for the final 15 minutes in the oven.
- Serve: Once the lamb is cooked leave it to rest for 15 minutes before breaking it a part. Serve with some fresh bread and all of the juices from the pan.
Video
Notes
- Lamb shoulder: A bone in lamb shoulder will give you the best results for this recipe. A boneless lamb shoulder it will still be tender and flavorful when cooked low and slow. However, bone-in lamb shoulder adds extra depth of flavor and helps retain moisture. If using boneless, consider tying it with kitchen twine to maintain its shape and adjust the cooking time slightly, as boneless cuts may cook a bit faster. The key is still slow roasting at 150-160°C (300-320°F) and keeping it covered for most of the cook time to ensure juicy, fall-apart meat.
- Marinade: If you don't have a mortar and pestle, simply mash everything together with a fork.
Nutrition
Calories: 228kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 6mg | Potassium: 83mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 25IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1mg
