10 Hour Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder

5 (1)

This recipe is purely inspired by an amazing Lamb Shoulder we ate probably about 15 years ago now. It was the first slow cooked Lamb Shoulder we have eaten, at a famous restaurant in Melbourne, Australia called Cumulus Inc. The recipe: a slow cooked, melt in the mouth, super tender Lamb Shoulder. This recipe is our dedication to that dish, our decadent and delicious 10-hour Lamb Shoulder

The best part about this dish? It’s got to be one of the easiest dishes you can ever make. Seriously, it required so few ingredients and very little effort. Just season, put it in the Oven and wait 10 hours then you’re ready to eat! What could be better?

Oh, the other added benefit is as the Lamb is slowly braising and cooking in the oven your house will fill with a wonderful Lamb aroma. That’s probably the biggest challenge with this dish is waiting the full 10 hours before you start to eat. The temptation to start eating earlier with those lovely smells is irresistible!

For this recipe we’re again honoring that amazing Lamb Shoulder dish we remember at Cumulus Inc. by serving it alongside 2 of their amazing sides: Pickled Red Onions and Peas cooked with Bacon and Butter. The Pickled Onions are so necessary for a rich dish like this. The acidity cuts through the fattiness of the lamb so well. For the Peas. Well.. they are Peas cooked in Butter and Bacon. What more do you want!

Can you use other cuts of Lamb for this slow roasting technique?

The short answer is yes, of course you can. The other popular cut of Lamb for a slow roast is the Lamb Leg. Both cuts of meat benefit greatly from the slow roasting technique, and will taste amazing. We find that Shoulder is still the ideal cut for a 10 hour slow roast. The Shoulder is a little bit fattier and the meat, a little bit tougher. When slow roasting the Lamb Shoulder for 10 hours, all of that Fat will slowly render into the meat. This results in the Meat becoming insanely tender and flavorful

You’ll get a little bit more flavor out of the Lamb Shoulder than a Lamb Leg because of this slow roasting technique. There is a risk that the Lamb Leg may start to dry out a little bit too, so we recommend if you are using the Leg to keep a close eye on it. After about 6 hours we recommend testing it for doneness and texture. Hey, it may be cooked by that time which means you’re eating early!

So, if you can’t find Lamb Shoulder at your local grocery store but they have Lamb Leg, then go for it!

We highly recommend cooking the sides too, they complete this amazing 10 hour Lamb Shoulder

The side dishes of Peas with Bacon and Pickled Onions are a key element of this recipe, and here’s why: The Lamb Shoulder itself is delicious, however it is quite rich and indulgent. Having some contrasting flavors paired alongside the Lamb will make for a much more balanced meal

The Pickled Onions are one of our favorite side dishes, and feature quite prominently on our website. The sharp, acidic hit they bring is the perfect accompaniment to dishes that are more on the richer side. They help to balance out the overall meal, which basically means you can eat more without feeling overwhelmed with richness. The Pickled Onions also add a beautiful, crunchy texture to the dish which is much needed given how silky tender the Lamb Shoulder will be after being cooked for 10 hours!

To complete this classic Roast Dinner, it’s fitting that there’s a side of Peas! Any roast dinner, regardless of how fancy it is just isn’t the same without some beautiful Peas. We’ve amped ours up slightly by adding Bacon. Mainly for the reason that it tastes amazing. Honestly, if you’re looking to simplify the cook a little bit you can just cook up some classic Peas with a little bit of Salt, Butter, and Lemon Juice. The Bacon is a great addition, but definitely optional

10 Hour Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 Whole Lamb Shoulder (5-6lbs)
• 4 Sprigs Rosemary, roughly chopped
• 6 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp. Olive Oil
• Salt
• 2 cups Frozen Peas
• 6 Strips of Streaky Bacon
• 2 Large Red Onions, finely sliced
• Juice of 2 Lemons
• Salt and Pepper
  
  

Instructions

1. Combine the Olive Oil, Garlic, Rosemary and 1 tbsp. of Salt in a small bowl. Rub this mixture all over the Lamb Shoulder. If needed, feel free to add a bit more Salt to the outside of the Lamb Shoulder to ensure all is covered
2. Place the Lamb Shoulder in a large baking tray or Dutch Oven and fill with 1 ½ cups of Water. Cover either with the lid of the Dutch Oven or with Aluminum Foil.
3. Place the covered Lamb Shoulder in the Oven pre-heated to 225 degrees and leave for 10 hours. Feel free to check every couple of hours or so, but there is no need to be really honest
   
   
   While the Lamb is cooking it’s a good time to prepare the sides
   
   

To make the Pickled Onions

1. Combine the Onions, Lemon Juice and 1 tbsp. of Salt in a sealable container. Mix well then seal and place in the refrigerator. Leave for at least 6 hours
   
   

To make the Peas with Bacon and Butter

1. Begin by frying the Bacon in a frying pan over medium / high heat until crispy. Set aside and once cooled, chop into bite sized pieces. You can also bake the Bacon if you like, however I feel that pan frying gets it the most crispy
2. Place the Frozen Peas and Butter in a microwave safe container. Cover then microwave for approximately 1 minute on high to cook. You can also cook the Peas in boiling water then drain and melt over the Butter. Either way works just as well
3. Finish the Peas by mixing in the Bacon and re-heat just before serving
   
   

Instructions Continued

4. After 10 hours, remove the Lamb Shoulder from the Oven and set aside. Rest for at least 10 minutes. To serve, remove the bones (which should just fall away) and pull apart enough Lamb for each portion.
5. Finish the portioned-out Lamb with a sprinkle of Finishing Salt, serve alongside the Pickled Onions and Peas and enjoy!
   
   

You can make some delicious gravy with the Lamb fat that will be in the roasting tray. Take about ½ cup of the Lamb Juices and place in a saucepan along with 1 tbsp. of Plain Flour. Cook for about 4-5 minutes then add water while continuously whisking to your desired consistency

There is so much Lamb in this dish that you will very likely have leftovers. Well good news there, as we’ve got a delicious Lamb Empanadas recipe which makes awesome use of this beautiful Lamb Shoulder

Also, remember to keep any leftover bones to create this delicious and Simple Lamb Stock recipe to create some beautiful sauces

We hope you’ve enjoyed this epic 10 Hour Lamb Shoulder. It’s one of our favorite recipes and we hope it will become one of yours too. We love a good Epic Cook Up here at Dinnertime Somewhere, here are a few of our favorite Epic recipes we’d encourage you to try:

• Epic Short Rib Lasagna
• Spicy Cumin Lamb Noodles
• Shrimp and Grits with Chorizo
• Braised Beef Cheeks in Pedro Ximenez
  
  

Happy Cooking!