Slow-Roasted Lamb Shoulder with Rosemary and Confit Garlic
A lamb shoulder roasted low and slow until it yields at the gentlest touch — this is the kind of dish that fills the whole house with the scent of rosemary and caramelised garlic long before it reaches the table. Simple in its ingredients, extraordinary in its result.
Step by step preparation
Remove the lamb from the fridge 1 hour before cooking to bring it to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 160 °C (fan 140 °C). Using a small sharp knife, make 10-12 deep incisions about 2 cm long all over the surface of the meat.
Peel the 4 extra garlic cloves and slice them lengthways into slivers. Push a sliver of garlic and a small sprig of rosemary into each incision, pressing firmly so they stay in place. This step perfumes the meat from within throughout the long roast.
Combine the olive oil, coarse salt and black pepper and rub the mixture all over the lamb, massaging it in well. Place the halved head of garlic cut-side down in the roasting tin along with the remaining rosemary and thyme sprigs.
Set the lamb on top of the aromatics. Pour the white wine and stock around the sides of the tin — never over the meat, to preserve the crust. Cover tightly with foil and roast for 2 hours at 160 °C.
After 2 hours, remove the foil and increase the oven to 210 °C. Roast for a further 20-25 minutes until the surface is deeply golden and caramelised. If the pan juices begin to dry out, add a splash of water or stock.
Transfer the lamb to a board, cover loosely with foil and rest for 15 minutes. This resting period allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, ensuring every slice is tender and succulent.
Deglaze the roasting tin over a medium heat with a splash of water, scraping up all the caramelised bits from the bottom to form a natural jus. Strain and serve alongside the lamb, with the confit garlic cloves on the side — they spread like butter directly onto the meat.
