Food Recipes Dinner Meat Dishes Slow-Roasted Lamb Shoulder with Shallots and White Wine 4.7 (6) 7 Reviews Braised atop shallots and thyme in a honey-tinged bath of white wine and orange juice, Aria Adjani's lamb shoulder roast is served with a bright lemon-oregano gremolata. By Aria Alpert Adjani Aria Alpert Adjani Aria Alpert Adjani is a mother of two, actress, snarky storyteller, writer, and cookbook author who thrives on finding the humorous comedic flair everyday life brings and bitching about it to whoever listens.Expertise: home cooking, motherhood, seasonal cooking, farmers markets. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on January 12, 2024 Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Recipes published by Food & Wine are rigorously tested by the culinary professionals at the Dotdash Meredith Food Studios in order to empower home cooks to enjoy being in the kitchen and preparing meals they will love. Our expert culinary team tests and retests each recipe using equipment and ingredients found in home kitchens to ensure that every recipe is delicious and works for cooks at home every single time. Meet the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Rate PRINT Share Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Eva Kolenko Active Time: 50 mins Total Time: 4 hrs 20 mins Yield: 6 to 8 servings For this lamb shoulder recipe, the meat cooks for about three hours, the majority of which is spent braising in the oven. Frequently asked questions What is lamb shoulder good for? Lamb shoulder — or the shoulder of any animal, really — is a highly used muscle, which makes it a naturally tougher (and consequently less pricey) cut of meat. Devote the afternoon to a long, slow cook, however, and you'll have a super flavorful, tender roast that falls right off the bone. Should you sear lamb before slow cooking? To maximize the flavor of your lamb shoulder roast, you'll definitely want to give it a good sear before braising. It'll take about a half hour over medium-high heat for the meat to turn deep golden brown on all sides, essentially caramelizing while sealing in the juices. Start by placing your lamb fat side down in the pan; the fat will render as it cooks. How to Cook Lamb Like a Chef Note from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Pre-salting the lamb — the longer the better, preferably eight hours or overnight — will deepen its flavor as well as increase moisture and tenderness. Afterward, a simple sear then braise renders fork-tender shreds of meat. A spoonful of garlicky gremolata heightens those long-cooked flavors. Suggested pairing Try lamb shoulder roast with an earthy, emphatic Pinot Noir. Ingredients Lamb 1 (6- to 7-pound) bone-in lamb shoulder, or 1 (4- to 5-pound) boneless lamb shoulder, tied 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided 1 tablespoon black pepper 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 1 medium-size yellow onion, roughly chopped 6 large shallots, halved lengthwise 1 large carrot, roughly chopped 2 large celery stalks, roughly chopped 1 large garlic head, halved crosswise 1 bunch thyme sprigs 1 cup dry white wine 1 cup fresh orange juice 1 tablespoon wildflower honey 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 2 (3-inch-long) orange peel strips Lemon-Oregano Gremolata 1/2 cup packed, finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano 1 teaspoon lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper 1 large garlic clove, grated Directions Make the lamb Sprinkle lamb evenly with 2 tablespoons salt and black pepper. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour, or chill, uncovered, at least 8 hours or overnight. (If lamb chills overnight, let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before cooking.) Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in lower third position. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Add lamb, fat side down; cook, undisturbed, until deep golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Carefully turn lamb over; cook, turning occasionally, until golden on all sides, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove lamb from Dutch oven. Discard drippings from Dutch oven. Wipe Dutch oven clean. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to Dutch oven; heat over medium. Add onion, shallots, carrot, celery, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften and begin to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add garlic and thyme; cook, stirring often, until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in wine, orange juice, honey, vinegar, and orange peel strips. Nestle lamb, fat side up, on vegetable mixture; bring to a boil over medium. Remove from heat and cover Dutch oven. Transfer to preheated oven and roast until lamb is fork-tender, 2 hours to 2 hours and 30 minutes. Make the gremolata Stir together all gremolata ingredients in a bowl. Let stand 10 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Remove lamb from Dutch oven and transfer to a large serving platter. Tent lamb with aluminum foil; let rest 30 minutes before slicing or shredding meat. Serve with gremolata. Originally appeared: April 2020 Rate It Print