Slow Roasted Harissa Lamb Shoulder (Printable)

Tender lamb shoulder roasted with harissa, garlic, and spices for rich, smoky flavors.

# What you'll need:

→ Lamb

01 - 1 (about 4.5 lb) bone-in lamb shoulder, trimmed

→ Marinade

02 - 4 tablespoons harissa paste
03 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
04 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 1 tablespoon ground cumin
06 - 1 tablespoon ground coriander
07 - 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
08 - 1 lemon, zest and juice
09 - 2 teaspoons sea salt
10 - 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Vegetables

11 - 2 large red onions, thickly sliced
12 - 2 carrots, cut into chunks
13 - 1 bulb garlic, halved horizontally

→ Liquids

14 - 1 cup chicken or lamb stock
15 - ½ cup dry white wine (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 320°F.
02 - In a bowl, combine harissa paste, olive oil, minced garlic, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, lemon zest and juice, salt, and pepper to make a thick marinade.
03 - Pat the lamb shoulder dry with paper towels. Rub the marinade generously all over the lamb, ensuring every surface is coated.
04 - Arrange the red onion slices, carrot chunks, and halved garlic bulb in the base of a large roasting pan. Place the marinated lamb shoulder on top of the vegetables.
05 - Pour the stock and wine (if using) around the lamb, not over it.
06 - Cover the roasting pan tightly with foil and roast in the oven for 3½ hours.
07 - Remove the foil and increase the oven temperature to 390°F. Roast uncovered for an additional 30 minutes, basting once with the pan juices, until the lamb is deeply caramelized and the meat is tender enough to pull apart with a fork.
08 - Rest the lamb, loosely covered with foil, for 15 minutes before serving. Shred or carve and serve with the roasted vegetables and pan juices.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The lamb becomes impossibly tender, practically falling apart at the slightest touch
  • The harissa creates this incredible balance of heat and smoky depth that feels fancy but is actually incredibly forgiving
  • It serves a crowd with minimal active time, leaving you free to actually hang out with your people
02 -
  • The lamb needs that final 30 minutes uncovered to develop that gorgeous caramelized crust that makes it look as good as it tastes
  • If the pan juices start looking too dry during the initial cooking, splash in a bit more stock or water
  • The internal temperature should reach around 90-95°C (195-205°F) for that falling-apart tenderness
03 -
  • If you can find a lamb shoulder with a nice fat cap still attached, keep it—the rendering fat bastes the meat as it cooks and creates incredible flavor
  • A coffee grinder dedicated to spices makes such a difference when freshly grinding your cumin and coriander

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