Slow Cooked Pulled Lamb Shoulder

My recipe for Slow Cooked Pulled Lamb Shoulder will give you moist, tender, pull apart lamb that is so soft it shreds with just two forks.

Tender, juicy, succulent - is there any other way to eat lamb? My Slow Cooked Pulled Lamb Shoulder ticks all those boxes AND some. See that yummy looking crusty bit on top of the shoulder? Where the fat has rendered and you are left with a crispy herb crust...OMG...that is the bit that I hang around in the kitchen for after everyone has sat down at the table, hoping against hope that there is some left on the carving plate for me to steal without anyone noticing! slow cooked pulled lamb shoulder in a white baking dish with carrots

How to cook pulled lamb shoulder

You just need to remember two words, low and slow.

Lamb shoulder is a cut of meat that needs to be cooked at a low temperature, over a long period. This will give you a tender roast with pull apart lamb you can shred with two forks.

You can learn more about this cut of lamb here.

How long to cook roast lamb shoulder

3.5 to 4 hours - depending on the size of your bone in lamb shoulder.

What to serve with pulled lamb

This recipe includes roasted carrots cooked along side the lamb and gravy - both of these are optional.
Mashed potato makes a great side for this lamb - my Mustard Mashed Potatoes would be great - lamb+mustard=good!
Serve it in wraps or gyros with salad and tzatziki, or whipped feta.

roasted lamb shoulder in a white baking dish with carrots and gravy

My top tips for making the perfect slow cooked pulled lamb shoulder

You will need to cover the lamb with baking paper, and then foil. The baking paper is there to stop the highest point of the lamb sticking to the foil as it bakes. I usually make the piece of baking paper roughly the size of the roasting tin.
If your foil isn't big enough to fit the roasting tin in one sheet, just put two sheets together and tightly crimp up along one side (don't make any holes) then fold out. Then you have one big piece with a seam down the middle.
When you remove your foil to put the lamb back in the oven uncovered, try to keep it one piece because you can use it later to cover the lamb as it rests.
The cooking times for this recipe will tend to vary a bit with the starting weight of your shoulder and/or fat to meat ratio. That is why I suggest checking the lamb at the 3 hour mark, and putting it back in the oven if it needs it. Same goes for the final cook - depends on the size of the lamb & how large your carrots are (and whether you like your carrots crunchy or not!).

Other lamb recipes you might like

Oven Roasted Lamb Ribs - tasty, moist and easy finger-licking lamb ribs with garlic, lemon and herbs.

Pulled Lamb Shoulder with Paprika & Capsicum - moist lamb shoulder ragu in a rich sauce studded with smoky capsicum that has melted through the paprika spiked sauce.

Lamb Shanks with Fennel & Couscous - fall-off-the-bone tender lamb shanks, with fennel & couscous. Dinner all in one pot.

Quick Lamb Ragu - this is a fast and tasty weeknight-friendly lamb ragu recipe, using lamb mince (ground lamb).

Pesto Lamb & Prosciutto Cutlets - tender juicy lamb cutlets coated in basil pesto then wrapped in prosciutto. Maximum flavour for minimal effort! These cutlets are a house favourite!

The good old "aussie lamb roast" is a bit of an icon in this part of the world, and it usually is a leg of lamb. The shoulder of lamb is not really thought about as our national go-to Sunday lamb roast. I reckon this recipe for slow cooked pulled lamb might just change your mind! Last year this shredded lamb recipe was even our Christmas roast lamb dinner!

Lee-Ann ♥

slow roasted lamb shoulder - super moist & tender

1.5 - 1.8 kg lamb shoulder (bone in) (trimmed slightly)
2 tsp fresh rosemary leaves
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp rock salt
3 large garlic cloves
1 tsp olive oil
1 bunch dutch/mini/baby carrots (scrubbed & peeled)
1 ½ tbsp plain/all purpose flour
1 - 1 ½ cups beef stock ((see notes))
salt to taste

Preheat oven to 140c / 280f.
Place rosemary leaves, cumin seeds, garlic, salt & olive oil into a mortar & pestle, and mash/grind until you have a coarse paste.
Place lamb shoulder fat side up in a baking dish/roasting tray, and rub all over with herb paste (including the bottom side). Place a piece of baking/parchment paper on top of the lamb, then cover entire baking dish/tray tightly with aluminium foil (see notes).
Bake for 3 hours, carefully remove the foil and baking paper and check lamb. It should be soft and fork-tender, if not return to oven (with baking paper & foil) for a further 30 mins.
Once lamb is tender, turn the oven up to 180c / 355f. Then add carrots (if using) to liquid which has collected in the base of the tin, baste the top of the lamb with some of this braising liquid & return lamb to the oven, uncovered and bake for a further 30 to 45 mins to form a slight crust on top and until carrots are cooked to your liking (see notes).
Remove lamb from oven & cover lightly with foil to rest for a few minutes while you make the gravy (optional) - if not proceed to step 12.
To make the gravy, remove the braising liquid from the baking dish and reserve, skimming off any excess fat ( but reserving approx 1 ½ tablespoons).
Add reserved lamb fat back to the roasting tin, add flour and mix to make a paste.
Place baking dish on the stove over a low heat, and stir the flour mixture constantly over low heat until it starts to foam - about 2 -3 mins.
Remove pan from heat and allow to cool just slightly, then mix in beef stock 1 - 2 tablespoons at a time (fully incorporating each time until you have no lumps - before you make the next addition) for the first approx ½ cup, then add remaining beef stock (see notes) and reserved braising liquid, stirring well to combine.
Place baking dish back over low heat, and bring to boil while stirring & scraping up any flavour remnants from the base of the roasting tin and add salt if required.
Pull apart the lamb with two forks & serve with carrots & gravy (if making).

**Looking for more great lamb recipes? Check out my Lamb for Dinner collection - this is my comprehensive guide to all things lamb and lamb related. It includes choosing the right cut, plus cooking hints and tips, PLUS all of my lamb dinner recipes in the one place!**

A quick note about covering the lamb with baking/parchment paper & then with aluminium foil. The baking paper is there to stop the highest point of the lamb sticking to the foil as it bakes. I usually make the piece of baking paper roughly the size of the roasting tin. The aluminium foil that I use to cover the roasting tin is a wide version, which covers the roasting tin. If your foil isn't big enough to fit in one sheet, just put two sheets of the smaller size together and tightly crimp up along one side (don't make any holes) then fold out. This gives you one big piece with a seam down the middle.
When you remove your foil to put the lamb back in the oven uncovered, try to keep it one piece because you can use it later to cover the lamb as it rests.
The cooking times for this recipe will tend to vary a bit with the starting weight of your shoulder and/or fat to meat ratio. That is why I suggest checking the lamb at the 3 hour mark, and putting it back in the oven if it needs it. Same goes for the final cook - depends on the size of the lamb & how large your carrots are (and whether you like your carrots crunchy or not!).
One last point about the amount of stock to put in the gravy. I have said from 1 cup to 1 ½ cups of stock, and this is because it depends how much liquid (gold) collects in the roasting tin. Sometimes you get more than others - go figure! You could also make the gravy in a small saucepan if you wish, using the exact same method as for the roasting tin. The only extra thing I would do is put 1 - 2 tablespoons of warm/hot water into the dry roasting tin to bring up any flavour spots and then add that to your gravy when you add the braising liquid.

*Please note that the amount of calories per serve is provided as a guide only, as ingredients and cooking methods can vary greatly*

Reader Interactions