Roast shoulder of lamb with rosemary, and harissa recipe (2024)

FAQs

What temperature should lamb shoulder be cooked at? ›

Place the lamb shoulder skin side up onto the trivet which should line the base of the tray. Place in centre of oven and roast for 20 minutes then reduce the temperature to 190°C then continue roasting for 30 minutes per 500g reaching a core temperature of minimum 58°C.

Slow cooking in liquid transforms tougher cuts of lamb into fork-tender meat. Neck, shoulder and belly, either diced or as whole joints, are the best cuts for slow cooking and need to be cooked for at least 2 hrs at 150C to soften the meat.

For the perfect roast lamb, we recommend seasoning the surface of the meat, and then searing it, especially fat side down in a pan before roasting. Why bother with searing? Contrary to some stories, searing is less about locking in moisture, and all about improving the flavour!

As a rough guide, to roast a lamb joint allow about 45 minutes' cooking time per kilo in weight (or about 25 minutes per pound). Place in a preheated oven at a high temperature initially (230°C/gas mark 8), then after about 15 minutes, lower the temperature (to 200°C/gas mark 6) for the remainder of the cooking time.

Medium: About 25 minutes per pound or until internal temperature registers 135°F to 140°F. Well-Done: About 30 minutes per pound or until internal temperature registers 155°F to 165°F. Fall-Apart Tender Lamb. About 40 minutes per pound or until the internal temp registers 175°F or beyond.

A lamb leg is classic. A 3-hour shoulder is excellent. But for the most succulent roast lamb of your life, slow-roast it for 12 hours in the oven overnight. Cooked at a very low temperature with plenty of braising liquid, you can set-and-forget without a worry.

All the lamb needs is a sprinkle of salt and pepper, drizzle of olive oil. Add beef broth/stock and water into the pan (keeps everything all nice and moist + makes pan juices for gravy), cover then slow roast for 5 hours until tender and fall apart.

Fattier cuts of lamb should be roasted long and slow at a low temperature, while leaner cuts of meat should be cooked at a high temperature for the first several minutes and then at a lower temperature the rest of the time. Braising is a popular technique for cooking less-tender cuts of lamb.

When meat is sliced with the grain, it often results in tougher, chewier pieces. Follow this tip: The grain of the meat refers to the direction in which the muscle fibers run. Always slice lamb against the grain, cutting across the muscle fibers rather than with them.

It's not really necessary to sear your roast before cooking, but caramelizing the surface gives the cut an incredible depth of flavor, enhanced with the complex layers of nutty caramel and coffee-like bitterness that meat-lovers find delicious.

Should lamb roast be at room temperature before cooking? ›

Tips for Cooking Lamb

Before you begin the cooking process, be sure to remove your lamb from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. This helps to ensure that the lamb cooks evenly and that you get an accurate temperature reading.

Remove the lamb from the smoker when internal temperature reaches 90° – 95°C. For pulled lamb you would want to aim for an internal temperature of between 90° – 95°C. Take the lamb shoulder off the grill at 80°C if you intend to serve the lamb sliced.

Ideal Cooking Methods: Due to its higher fat and connective tissue content, the lamb shoulder shines when subjected to various slow-cooking methods. Braising, stewing and slow roasting break down its tissues, rendering the meat succulently tender.

Place into the tray, then scatter the remaining rosemary and garlic on top. Tightly cover the tray with tin foil and place in the oven. Immediately turn the temperature down to 170°C/325°F/gas 3 and cook for around 4 hours – it's done if you can pull the meat apart easily with two forks.

The USDA-recommended safe serving temperature for lamb is 145 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you are cooking a pork shoulder, lamb shoulder or beef brisket you will want to cook them to about 195 degrees and then let them rest. Typically, they will carry over to about 205. By that time your meat should be tender enough to pull apart with your fingers.

The internal temperature of meat will continue to rise after you pull it from the oven, so it's good to follow these guidelines: Medium rare: pull from oven at 135 degrees and let rest until it reaches 145 degrees. Medium: pull from oven at 150 degrees and let rest until it reaches 160 degrees.

The leg of lamb should be roasted to either a medium rare blushing pink on the inside (with an internal temp around 125-130°F) or roasted at a lower temperature (about 325 degrees F ) for several hours until the meat is so tender it can be pulled off the bone with tongs (about 205 degrees F).