With minimal effort, lamb shoulder can be one of the most flavorful and tender meat mains. Whether it's grilled, braised, or chopped up and tossed in a stew, lamb shoulder is an extremely versatile cut of lamb. Plus, it makes a cheaper alternative to more expensive cuts like leg of lamb or lamb shanks. Here are 17 ways to enjoy lamb shoulder.
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Irish Lamb Stew
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This traditional Irish stew makes great leftovers: "This soup 'ages' well!" says recipe creator Danny O'Flaugherty.
02of 17
Braised Lamb Shoulder Chops
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Here, lamb shoulder chops are braised for three hours to achieve that tender, melt-in-your-mouth consistency. Reviewer Amanda Sargent raves, "This was the best way I have ever prepared lamb shoulder chops!"
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Chef John's Irish Stew
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"Pay attention to the cut of lamb used in this recipe," says Chef John. "I used lamb shoulder chops, which are a fantastic value, when you consider flavor, useable meat, and price. They will probably be the cheapest lamb at the store, have more flavor and richness than leg meat, and are cheaper than shanks and loins. It takes a while for the meat to braise and fall off the bone, but it's a wait rewarded with tender, succulent chucks of lamb."
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Butter Lamb Gravy
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Lamb is simmered in a tomato and cream sauce in this easy recipe that's ready in one hour from start to finish. Serve over rice.
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Mediterranean Lamb and Lentil Stew
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Easy one-pot meals like this make perfect weeknight meals — and fewer dishes. "This is a rich and hearty dish," says reviewer Susan The Bread Baker. "Add the rice pilaf and a crusty slab of rustic whole grain bread and you have a wonderful combination."
This Greek stew is packed with flavor thanks to the dried herbs, spices, and veggies. Reviewer BEZEMES says, "If you have mint growing in your garden in the summer this would be a good reason to dry some for the winter!"
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Summer Lamb Kabobs
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You might associate lamb with heartier, cold-weather meals, but these grilled lamb kabobs put fresh summer fruits and vegetables on display.
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Lamb Braised in Pomegranate
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Put fall and winter flavors like pomegranate and pumpkin on display in this decadent braised lamb dish. Reviewer otammibeeo suggests pairing it with butternut squash for a fall-inspired dinner.
"Here, 'tandoori' refers to the yogurt-based, aromatically spiced marinade that can be used on grilled, broiled, or baked meat. You can adjust the spices to your own personal preferences," says Chef John. "Serve with flatbread or rice and cilantro chutney."
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Greek Lamb Stew
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Packed with fresh green beans and tomatoes, this hearty stew is a great way to sneak in some veggies!
11of 17
Braised Lamb with Radishes and Mint
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Chef John says the radishes in this dish will soak up the flavor of the lamb. "This dish is perfection," raves reviewer James.
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LIZZY217's Lamb Gyros
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Get Greek restaurant-style gyros at home. These are made with boneless lamb shoulder that has been marinated in a flavorful brandy marinade.
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Spring Lamb Sliders
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"Slow roasting a lamb shoulder is a lot less stressful than trying to achieve perfection with a leg of lamb," says Chef John. "And, if you like shredded beef and pulled pork, you'll be down with this."
14of 17
Instant Pot® Irish Stew
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The Instant Pot gives you tender, fall-apart lamb shoulder in a fraction of the time it takes with more traditional cooking methods.
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Lamb Ragu
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Lamb turns up the richness on this classic Italian meat sauce. Serve over cooked pasta or polenta for a hearty, flavor-packed meal.
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Lamb Stew with Potatoes and Cilantro
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For this rich stew, lamb shoulder, potatoes, and cilantro are braised in a mixture of broth and beer for added flavor.
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Spicy Chinese Cumin Lamb Skewers
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"While kebabs are cooked all over the world, this version is traditional Chinese street fare made with cumin and lamb," says recipe creator Wayne He. "Enjoy it with cold beer as a great way to start the evening. Serve hot."
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.
Roast for 21/2–4 hours, depending on the size of your joint. Start checking after 21/2 hours – when the lamb is ready the bone will feel loose and the meat will be very soft and tender.
The lamb in the slow-cooker was juicier than that from the oven, but lacked the oven lamb's exterior crispy bits (we love crispy bits). The solution was to take the vegetables and lamb from the slow cooker and run them under the broiler to crisp things up a bit. We'd eat either version again in a heartbeat.
It can be traditionally roasted but is best slow-roasted, pot-roasted or braised with liquid until practically falling apart. Shoulder can also be diced for stewing, or cut into shoulder chops. A pre-sliced roast is convenient, but it tends to dry out in the oven.
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.
Sit the lamb shoulder on top, and then cover the lamb and roasting tray in foil. It's usually easiest to do this loosely as the bone in the lamb can pierce the foil, but don't worry too much if that does happen, it really won't affect things too much. Roast in the oven for 4-5 hours.
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.
Lamb shoulder is quite a fatty cut, so wonderful for low, slow roasting. It's a foolproof way of feeding a crowd because it nigh on impossible to overcook it. Read more about sharing.
You create a Maillard reaction when you sear the lamb, which is a chemical reaction between the amino acids and the sugars in the meat. This reaction adds an extra roasted layer of flavor to the meat and seals in the juices, keeping it moist during the cooking process.
It depends on the cut. If you cook a lamb shank low and slow, it will become more tender as long as you don't let it dry out. A lamb chop, on the other hand, will reach optimum tenderness at medium rare. After that it will become tougher as it cooks.
Meanwhile, rub the lamb all over with 1 teaspoon of olive oil, and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Starting fat side down, sear the lamb in a non-stick frying pan on a medium-high heat for 10 minutes, turning regularly until gnarly all over but blushing in the middle, or use your instincts to cook to your liking.
Letting the lamb rest for at least 15 minutes once you finish cooking it is essential. This rest period allows the juices to redistribute and settle throughout the muscle fibers, which creates a tender and juicy piece of meat. The juices will escape if you cut into the lamb right away, causing the meat to dry.
Reducing the heat, covering and adding water to the tray keeps it moist. It means the spice rub doesn't burn, and adds to the pan juices for sauce making. Cooking slow for over 7 hours allows the fat to render over time yielding a seriously tender and fall apart roast.
Temperature is by far the most critical aspect of cooking lamb chops. Undercooking even tender lamb chops can render them unpleasantly chewy, while overcooking will lead to tough, dried-out meat. Rib chops should be cooked to about 130°F, while loin chops are better at 135°F or even 140°F.
Introduction: My name is Domingo Moore, I am a attractive, gorgeous, funny, jolly, spotless, nice, fantastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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