Roasted Shoulder of Lamb Recipe

I . love . lamb.

I never used to, but now the thought of roasted or braised lamb just makes me drool…the sight of it falling off the bone after hours in the oven is just my kind of eye candy…hmmm.

Occasionally the supermarket I shop at has New Zealand lamb shoulder on sale for $2.99/lb but the last time they did, I couldn’t find it at my local store. It’s one of those moments where you feel cheated and you want to just kick and scream at the meat counter…you know that feeling right? Okay, may be it’s just me…

Anyways, I catch wind that it was on sale again this weekend and after thinking about it alllllll day at work, I venture to the bigger and better branch to make sure I get that shoulder. Finally, sweet success is mine! (Insert evil laughter)

This is a simplification of Jamie Oliver’s Incredible Roasted Lamb Shoulder recipe. I focused on the lamb and used the most basic seasonings to let the lamb work its own magic. And boy did it work its magic! The lamb turned out rich, moist, and flavorful. It fell off the bone when I tore into it with two forks.

Amazing? Yes. Oh, yes. But is there room for improvement? I’d say yes as well. I do think the meat could still be moister. I think what I’ll do next time is to add about 1 cup of water to the baking tray before putting the lamb in the oven. ;

Instead of using rosemary as suggested by Jamie Oliver, I took the opportunity to use the fabulous Herb de Provence Olive Oil I bought from Vancouver Olive Oil Company. If you live in Vancouver, you’ve GOT to visit this olive oil and balsamic vinegar tasting bar! Not only is the staff there knowledgeable about their products, they are so friendly and not pushy or snobby at all which made it a lovely tasting experience!

Herb de Provence Olive Oil from Vancouver Olive Oil Company

Adapted from Jamie Oliver

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 4 hours | Yields: 6 Servings
Gluten-Free|Dairy-Free|Egg-Free|Nut-Free|Seafood-Free

2kg Lamb Shoulder

1 bulb Garlic, peeled, broken into cloves

2 tbsp Olive Oil

Salt

Pepper

1. Preheat your oven to 500°F.
2. Slash the fat side of the lamb all over with a sharp knife. Stick the garlic cloves into the slits created by the knife. Place lamb onto a roasting tray or a baking dish, rub the lamb all over with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
3. Pour in about 1 cup of water into the tray/dish, tightly cover with aluminum foil and place in the oven. Turn the oven down to 325°F and cook for 4 hours – it’s done when you can pull the meat apart easily with two forks.
4. Remove the lamb from the oven and place it on a chopping board. Cover it with tinfoil and leave it to rest for 15 minutes before pulling the meat apart with two forks.


Per each of 6 Servings







DISCLAIMER: The opinions and experiences of this post are completely my own. I have no affiliation with the mentioned businesses and receive no compensation for the content.