Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder

5 from 2 votes

This incredibly tender, moist, and flavorsome Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder recipe is so easy to make with a little preparation.

Prep Time10

Cook Time4

Total Time4 10

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, british

Diet: Gluten Free, Low Lactose

Servings: people

Calories: 315kcal

Rub the lamb shoulder all over with salt and pepper. Set aside to marinate at room temperature for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 140° C (285° F).
Peel and cut the onions in halves and place them on a large and deep baking tray along with rosemary sprigs and garlic.
Place the lamb shoulder on top of the flavorings and add 1 liter of water to the tray.
Cook the lamb for 4 hours, or it falls apart easily when touched with a fork.
Place the lamb into a large bowl and cover it with tin foil, and let it rest somewhere warm for 30 minutes.
While resting the lamb, start preparing the gravy.
Remove as much fat as you can from the oven tray, add the ½ liter of stock and place it on medium heat.
Deglaze the pan, making sure you scrape all the brown goodness into the stock.
Let it boil for 10 minutes, remove from the heat and then pass it through a fine chinois or a sieve into a small saucepan. Press firmly on the vegetables to squeeze all the juice out of them.
Place the saucepan on medium-low heat and let the stock simmer for another 15 minutes.
Prepare the slurry by mixing 2 tablespoons of cornflour with 3 tablespoons of cold water.
Slowly whisk the slurry into the gravy. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes then remove the pan from the heat.
Taste the gravy and add seasoning, if necessary. You rarely would need extra seasoning.

Take the meat out of the fridge at least an hour before cooking to ensure it reaches room temperature.

Make sure to keep the meat raised on some onions and garlic as they will add extra flavor to the gravy and also keep the lamb out of the liquid. You can also use some celery and/or carrots with or instead of onions and garlic.

The cooking time for the lamb shoulder depends on the size of the joint and the temperature/efficiency of the oven. You can use a fork to check if the lamb shoulder is cooked. When you can pull the shoulder bone out easily, leaving just the meat behind, your Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulder is ready to take out of the oven.

To easily separate the lamb fat from the stock, pour it into a jug and place it in a large bowl filled with ice. When the stock is cooled down, put it into the freezer to help the fat layer set. When the fat is set on top, remove it using a spoon and your stock is ready for making the gravy.