Slow-Braised Lamb Shoulder

Ingredients

• 1 bone-in lamb shoulder, ~2–2.5 kg (ask butcher to score)
• 1 whole garlic bulb
• 2 onions, roughly quartered
• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 preserved lemons, roughly chopped (skin and all, pips removed)
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes (400g)
• Half bottle white wine or dry vermouth
• 300 ml chicken or lamb stock
• 2 tbsp harissa or acı biber salçası
• 2 tbsp EVOO
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
• Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Pat lamb completely dry with kitchen paper. Cut 20 deep slits all over (~3 cm deep). Push a thin garlic slice + rosemary sprig into each slit. Preheat oven to 160°C fan.
2. Mix harissa, EVOO, cumin, coriander, paprika, cinnamon, salt, pepper, lemon zest and pomegranate molasses into a paste. Massage all over the lamb into every crevice.
3. Heat Le Creuset on high hob, add EVOO, wait until smoking. Sear lamb fat side down without touching for 4–5 mins until deeply crusted. Flip and sear all sides 2 mins each. Remove and set aside.
4. Same pot (don’t clean, the brown bits are flavour): add garlic halved horizontally, onions, rosemary, thyme, preserved lemons, tinned tomatoes. Pour in wine and deglaze, scraping up all brown bits. Reduce by half (3–4 mins). Add stock. Stir. Nestle lamb on top fat side up, half submerged.
5. Lid on, into oven at 160°C. Do NOT open for first 2 hours. At 2 hours: open, baste, lid back on for 1.5 hours. Last 30 mins: lid OFF to caramelise the top.
6. Done when meat falls away from bone with zero resistance.
7. Lift lamb onto board, cover loosely with foil. Rest minimum 30 mins.
8. Strain braising liquid through sieve into saucepan, pressing through all vegetables. Simmer hard 10–15 mins to reduce to glossy gravy. Finish with salt, lemon squeeze, splash of pomegranate molasses.

Key Details

• The slits stuffed with garlic and rosemary perfume the meat from inside, don’t skip this
• Searing in the same pot that does the braise = no lost fond
• Do NOT open for the first 2 hours, temperature stability is everything for collagen conversion
• Lid OFF for last 30 mins = caramelised top = restaurant presentation
• 30 min rest is non-negotiable but also buffers perfectly for guests running late

Variations

• If guests are late: turn oven to 120°C, it only gets better
• Swap preserved lemons for regular lemon zest if unavailable
• Add a cinnamon stick + star anise to the braise for a more North African profile
• Baharat instead of the individual spices works well and is faster
• Boneless shoulder works; reduce cook time by 30–45 mins and check earlier

Pairs well with

• Mint yogurt sauce (essential, place meat on top of a pool of it)
• Za’atar / baharat roasted potatoes
• Roasted cauliflower with tahini
• Caramelised onion bulgur
• A Malbec, Côtes du Rhône, or Shiraz in the glass

Notes & learnings

Timeline for 4pm start, 9pm guests: