Recipe

Slow-Roasted Lamb Shoulder with Pomegranate & Mint

Name: Slow-Roasted Lamb Shoulder with Pomegranate & Mint
Yield: 5–6
Ingredients: 2–2.5kg bone-in shoulder of lamb; 4 cloves garlic, cut into thin slivers; 2 tsp cumin seeds, lightly crushed; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 tsp smoked sweet paprika; 2 tbsp olive oil; 3 tbsp pomegranate molasses, divided; Juice of 1 lemon; 1 bulb of garlic, halved horizontally; 2 white onions, roughly chopped; 200ml water or light lamb stock; Sea salt and black pepper; To finish: seeds from 1 pomegranate; To finish: large bunch of fresh mint, leaves picked; To finish: juice of ½ lemon

A whole shoulder roasted at low heat for four hours until it gives up the bone entirely. The pomegranate glaze goes on in the final half hour, the mint and seeds over the rested meat. This is the dish for the long Sunday.

Serves 5–6

Ready in 4 hrs 45 min

Keeps 4 days fridge

Level Moderate

2–2.5kg bone-in shoulder of lamb
4 cloves garlic, cut into thin slivers
2 tsp cumin seeds, lightly crushed
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp smoked sweet paprika
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp pomegranate molasses, divided
Juice of 1 lemon
1 bulb of garlic, halved horizontally
2 white onions, roughly chopped
200ml water or light lamb stock
Sea salt and black pepper
To finish: seeds from 1 pomegranate
To finish: large bunch of fresh mint, leaves picked
To finish: juice of ½ lemon

Method

Using a small, sharp knife, make around 20 deep incisions all over the shoulder — into the fat, between the muscles, all around the bone end. Push a sliver of garlic deep into each one. The garlic softens and sweetens during the long roast and perfumes the meat from the inside.

Combine the crushed cumin seeds, cinnamon, paprika, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of pomegranate molasses and the lemon juice into a loose paste. Season with salt and black pepper. Rub it all over the shoulder, working it into every surface. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or for at least 2 hours at room temperature.

When ready to cook, take the lamb out of the fridge 30 minutes before it goes in the oven. Preheat the oven to 220°C / gas 7. Scatter the onions and halved garlic bulb in the base of a large, deep roasting tray — these become the flavour base for the cooking juices. Set the shoulder on top and roast uncovered for 20 minutes until the surface begins to colour and sizzle.

Reduce the oven temperature to 160°C / gas 3. Pour the water or stock around the base of the tray — around the lamb, not over it. Cover the entire tray tightly with two layers of foil, crimping the edges to seal. This traps the steam inside and keeps the meat moist through the long cook.

Roast for 3 hours 30 minutes. Check once at the 3-hour mark: the meat should be pulling visibly away from the bone and yield completely to the pressure of a spoon. If there's any resistance, reseal and return for another 30 minutes. The lamb is ready when it gives up without any effort at all.

Remove the foil. Mix the remaining 2 tablespoons of pomegranate molasses with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and brush this glaze generously over the entire surface of the lamb. Increase the oven to 200°C and return the lamb, uncovered, for 25–30 minutes until the glaze has lacquered and the surface is catching colour in places.

Rest uncovered for at least 20 minutes. Using two forks, pull the meat from the bone in generous pieces — it should offer no resistance at all. Arrange on a warm platter. Scatter the pomegranate seeds and mint leaves over generously. Finish with a squeeze of lemon. Strain the tray juices, skim the fat, and serve alongside as a sauce.

✦ Chef's note

This serves a table well alongside warm flatbreads, a bowl of thick yoghurt, some roasted vegetables or a simple grain salad. The leftovers are arguably the best part — cold pulled lamb with the pomegranate juices makes an exceptional sandwich the next day, or reheat gently in the tray juices with a splash of water. Ask your butcher for the shoulder bone-in rather than boned and rolled — it keeps the meat moist through the long cook and is more forgiving if the timing shifts slightly.