Check out our amazing recipe for the best slow roast lamb shoulder dinner to treat your family to!
We've got you covered with how to slow-cook lamb shoulder in the oven for several hours, leading to absolutely delicious fall-apart meat.
We have glazed our slow-roasted shoulder of lamb with mint jelly marinade, but you can adjust it to suit you. Check out our slow-cooked leg of lamb recipe for an alternative marinade.
This recipe guarantees the most tender and juicy pulled lamb you've ever tasted.
If you're searching for a slow cooker recipe, we've got a recipe for a slow cooker leg of lamb that can also be used for a shoulder cut.
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In the photos, you'll see our preparation uses a small 1.2 kg (2.6lb) half-shoulder of lamb. If you're cooking for a larger group or using a whole shoulder of lamb, don't worry - we have included a cooking time chart for how long to cook different sizes.
Our recipe card contains all the details on how to prepare and cook a lamb shoulder joint. You can also watch our video on the recipe card.
Or continue reading if you want more recipe advice.
Ingredients
I will quickly run through the ingredients you need for this lamb recipe, including suitable substitutions.
- 1.2 kg Lamb Shoulder (Bone in)
- 2 Onions
- 1 Garlic bulb Spread into cloves
- 4 sprigs thyme Or your prefered herb
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 litre Lamb stock Can use beef or vegetable stock instead.
- 3 tablespoon Mint Jelly
Gravy
- Leftover stock, from roasting tin fat removed
- 3 tablespoon Flour mixed with water to create a lump free slurry before adding
- 1 teaspoon Mint Jelly
Lamb Shoulder
Let me explain more about this joint of lamb and what you need for your family.
How many people does a shoulder of lamb serve?
Are you wondering how many this incredible lamb roast serves? Well, a half shoulder of lamb will satisfy a small family, while a whole shoulder of lamb is perfect for a larger gathering.
| Half or Whole Shoulder of Lamb (bone-in) weight kg and (lb) | How many does it serve? |
| 1 kg -1.5 kg (2.2 lb - 3.4 lb) | 4 people |
| 1.6 kg - 1.9 kg (3.5 lb - 4.1 lb) | 6 people |
| 2 kg - 2.5kg (4.4 lb - 5.5 lb) | 8 people |
If you buy half lamb shoulders, you will get a choice of knuckle or blade end. We usually go with the blade end, as there is slightly less bone - meaning more succulent meat! But the knuckle side is just as tasty!
What's better for Roast Lamb - Shoulder or Leg?
Lamb's shoulder makes a perfect slow-roasting joint of lamb due to the generous amount of fat on top and marbled throughout the joint.
It is best to cook a shoulder joint slowly and at a low temperature to allow the fat to melt throughout the joint, leaving tender meat ready to be pulled.
If you want a slightly leaner joint of lamb, we also have an amazing recipe for a Slow Cooked Leg of Lamb. (Of course, no lamb joint will be low fat!!)
Lamb shoulder is slightly cheaper than a leg of lamb, but cooked the right way, it is just as tasty!
Vegetables
We use onions as a trivet to lift the lamb off the tin base, adding flavour to the gravy made from the leftover juices. Feel free to swap in root veggies like carrots if you prefer.
Herbs
We went with fresh thyme, but feel free to swap in other fresh herbs such as rosemary for extra flavour or just go for dried herbs.
We used a whole garlic bulb - feel free to skip or use less for a more subtle flavour.
Lamb Stock
You can use other stock instead of lamb stock, such as chicken or vegetable stock.
Mint Jelly
We love the taste mint jelly brings to this recipe, mint jelly is better than mint sauce as it contains sugar which helps caramelise during the final cooking time. Feel free to experiment with other ways to glaze your lamb. We also add mint jelly to the gravy.
The recipe card below is for a half-shoulder lamb joint; detailed instructions for a whole-shoulder lamb joint are also included below the recipe card. They are cooked in the same way just allow extra cook time for larger lamb joints.
📖 Step by Step Recipe
Slow Roast Lamb Shoulder
Ingredients
- 1.2 kg Lamb Shoulder (Bone in)
- 2 Onions
- 1 Garlic bulb - Spread into cloves
- 4 sprigs thyme - Or your prefered herb
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 litre Lamb stock - Can use beef or vegetable stock instead.
- 3 tablespoon Mint Jelly
Gravy
- Leftover stock, from roasting tin - fat removed
- 3 tablespoon Flour - mixed with water to create a lump free slurry before adding
- 1 teaspoon Mint Jelly
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 150°C fan / 170°C / Gas mark 3 / 325°F. It is best to bring the 1.2 kg Lamb Shoulder (Bone in) out of the fridge at least an hour before cooking. Remove from packaging and pat dry.Chop 2 Onions into thick round discs. Place in the middle of a large roasting tin with the cloves of 1 Garlic bulb (no need to peel) and 4 sprigs thyme scattered around.
- Pour 2 tablespoon Olive Oil over the lamb shoulder and rub it in on both sides with your hands
- Place the lamb shoulder joint on top of the onions fat side up, season the lamb with more thyme leaves and a generous amount of Salt and Pepper
- Add 1 litre Lamb stock around the lamb (do not pour over the lamb)
- Cover the whole tray with foil and cook at 150°C fan / 170°C / Gas mark 3 / 325°F for 3 hours to start (this is not the full cooking time)(remember this cooking time is for a 1kg - 1.5 kg, half lamb shoulder, see notes section for roasting time, if using a larger, whole shoulder)
- Remove tray halfway through cooking. Shut oven door, lift foil and use a spoon or baster to pour the stock over the lamb. Recover with foil and cook for the remaining time.
- After 3 hours of cooking, spoon on 3 tablespoon Mint Jelly and rub all over the top.Remove from roasting tin and place in a clean tray to continue cooking for another 30 minutes uncovered at the same temperature.
- Remove onions and garlic (you can keep for serving with roast if desired).Use a sieve to pour Leftover stock, from roasting tin from the tin into a jug.Place the jug in a bowl of ice to help cool it down quicker. Once cooled enough, place in the freezer to encourage the fat to harden.
- Once finished, remove the lamb and loosely cover it with foil. Allowing it to rest whilst cooking roast dinner side dishes
Minted Lamb Gravy
- Remove jug from the freezer and use a spoon to remove the hard layer of fat off the top.
- Reheat the stock in a pan.
- Mix 3 tablespoon Flour with double amount of cold water to create a lump-free flour slurry.
- Add flour slurry slowly into stock whilst whisking to prevent lumps from forming. You don't have to add it all, mix until at the desired gravy thickness.
- Add 1 teaspoon Mint Jelly (optional) for extra flavour.
- Pour into a serving jug and cover to keep warm
How to serve pulled lamb
- Once rested, use two forks to pull the tender lamb apart.
- The meat will literally fall off the bone, there is no need to carve it.
- Serve with all the lamb gravy and all the usual roast dinner side dishes, check out the blog post for ideas.
Video
Notes
Oven Cooking time for half or whole shoulder of lamb
| Shoulder of Lamb (bone-in) weight kg and (lb) | Oven cooking time 170C / fan 150C Gas mark 3 (325F) | Final cooking time with mint jelly glaze added | Total cooking time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 kg -1.5 kg (2.2 lb - 3.4 lb) | 3 hours 0 minutes | 30 minutes | 3 ½ hours |
| 1.6 kg - 1.9 kg (3.5 lb - 4.1 lb) | 3 hour 30 minutes | 30 minutes | 4 hours |
| 2 kg - 2.5kg (4.4 lb - 5.5 lb) | 4 hour 30 minutes | 30 minutes | 5 hours |
Nutrition
Instructions
Here is additional information regarding the lamb shoulder recipe.
How to prepare roast shoulder of lamb?
Prepare your lamb joint for roasting using basic ingredients of oil, salt and pepper and your choice of herb (we use fresh thyme).
Don't forget to place the lamb shoulder on a bed of veggies inside the roasting pan - it serves a dual purpose. Not only does it elevate the joint above the stock but also adds more flavour into the gravy!
Add in some stock, garlic, and thyme for that extra dash of taste. Slow-cook lamb covered with foil for a moist and tender result. This method also ensures that the stock doesn't evaporate, which you'll need for that minted lamb gravy magic!
The mint jelly is not added yet, it will be added as a glaze for the final 30 minutes. Due to the sugar content, it would burn if cooked for hours!
Slow Roast Lamb Shoulder Cooking Time
When it comes to slow cooking a lamb shoulder, we believe slow roasting at a low temperature is the way to go! Pop it in the oven with a cooking time of around 3 ½ to 5 hours (depending on the weight).
This method gives you succulent lamb that just falls off the bone. The following cooking times apply to both half-shoulder lamb and the whole shoulder of lamb joint with the bone in.
So, take it easy, let it roast low and slow, and enjoy that tender, juicy lamb goodness!
| Shoulder of Lamb (bone-in) weight kg and (lb) | Oven cooking time 170C / fan 150C Gas mark 3 (325F) | Final cooking time with mint jelly glaze added | Total cooking time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 kg -1.5 kg (2.2 lb - 3.4 lb) | 3 hours 0 minutes | 30 minutes | 3 ½ hours |
| 1.6 kg - 1.9 kg (3.5 lb - 4.1 lb) | 3 hour 30 minutes | 30 minutes | 4 hours |
| 2 kg - 2.5kg (4.4 lb - 5.5 lb) | 4 hour 30 minutes | 30 minutes | 5 hours |
Measurements and cooking temperatures are given in both UK, metric and US, imperial.
We will be creating another post for rolled boneless lamb shoulder soon, but for now, if using a boneless lamb shoulder use the above guide. But, deduct 20 minutes off the covered cook time for all sizes.
Do I need to baste lamb during roasting?
It is best to baste the lamb shoulder halfway through cooking. And again, just before adding the glaze.
Simply use a spoon or baster to scoop up the stock and lamb cooking juices and pour back over the lamb.
How to glaze a shoulder of lamb?
Take your lamb shoulder to the next level of tastiness, by adding a simple marinade glaze of mint jelly.
It will only need to be added on the top of the lamb shoulder, for the final 30 minutes of cooking.
The mint jelly not only adds a delicately sweet, fresh flavour. But also a beautiful shiny glaze to the lamb joint.
Remove the roast lamb from the roasting tin, place it into another baking tray and cook for the final 30 minutes uncovered to allow it to crisp up.
Resting Time
Loosely cover with foil, being careful not to disturb the glaze. Let it rest for a minimum of 30 minutes, allowing the juices to settle and giving you the opportunity to prepare the gravy. This also frees up the oven for your roast lamb dinner side dishes.
Homemade Lamb Gravy
Time to make the minted lamb gravy. Remove the garlic and onion from the lamb roasting tin. Feel free to serve them up with the roast dinner they are delicious. Although the garlic can be overpowering for some!
Pour the leftover stock and lamb juices through a sieve. From the roasting tray into a large jug. This will remove all the leftover herbs.
How to seperate lamb fat from stock?
Place the jug into a large ice bowl to help bring the temperature down.
Once cool enough, place the jug of stock in the fridge or freezer to help firm up the layer of fat.
Other ways of removing fat from stock include skimming with a spoon or using bread or a kitchen towel to soak it up.
Or, by far, the easiest method is using a fat-separating jug; feel free to use your preferred method.
So with the lamb fat removed, all the delicious lamb flavours are still there. It is time to create a thick, rich gravy.
To avoid lumpy gravy, always mix your flour with water first to create a lump-free slurry. Slowly add it into the stock whilst constantly whisking.
We added mint jelly to create a minted lamb gravy, but you don't have to add this?
If you don't want gravy with your lamb, why not try out Red Wine Jus Sauce Recipe. It goes perfectly with our lamb shoulder recipe.
Pulled Lamb Roast Meat
No sharp knife for carving is required when the lamb is cooked slowly, shred the pulled lamb meat apart using two forks! Check out that amazing succulent lamb meat.
Keep pulling away with your forks into as big or little shreds of meat as desired.
When you reach a bone, pick it up, and the lamb meat will fall off it! This is the beauty of slow-cooked lamb.
The meat easily falls off the lamb shoulder blade bone, as seen above. No waste at all! Minimal effort and no carving skills are needed!
This roast lamb recipe is a guaranteed crowd pleaser, don't hold us to blame when the whole family fight over it! Remember to share.
What to serve with Slow Roast Shoulder of Lamb
Serve your lamb with all the usual side dishes if you want some inspiration.
Check out our Yorkshire Puddings, Roast Potatoes, Roasted Vegetables & Buttered Swede. As seen on the plate below
More Lamb Recipes
We have plenty more roast dinner recipes for you to try, from mains to side dishes.
- Lamb Kleftiko - Traditional Greek Dish
- Saddle of Lamb Roast Joint
- Rolled Lamb Breast (Slow Cooked)
- Slow Cooker Leg of Lamb
Please spare some time to let us know how you got on making this slow roast lamb shoulder and what you like to serve yours with.
DK Park says
It may take a long time to cook but i know it is worth the wait! The lamb would be tender and juicy and the flavors were locked in on it!
Luke and Kay says
Thank you for your five-star review of our Slow Roast Lamb Shoulder. We're delighted you found it worth the wait and enjoyed the tender and juicy flavours. Our slow-cooking method ensures that all the flavours are locked in for a delectable meal. Happy cooking! 🙂
Hayley says
Made this following the recipe exact and my lamb never fell off the bone unfortunately, had to cut it with a knife. Although was nice and moist.
Luke and Kay says
Hi Hayley, thank you for trying out our slow-roast lamb shoulder recipe. We're sorry to hear that the meat didn't fall off the bone as expected, but we're glad it was still moist and enjoyable. If you're looking for a more tender result next time, we recommend cooking the lamb for a longer period of time, let us know how it goes next time you cook your next lamb shoulder 🙂
Nige says
Very helpful - works a treat especially if you have two ovens so you can cook the 'high heat' sides with out leaving the lamb to rest for an hour....30 mins was perfect timing.
Luke and Kay says
Thank you for taking the time to review our slow roast lamb shoulder, Nige. We're so glad to hear that it worked well for you and helped make your cooking process even more efficient!
We designed this recipe with simplicity and convenience in mind, so you can enjoy a deliciously tender lamb without worrying about leaving it to rest for too long. Your tip about using two ovens is a great idea and we appreciate you sharing it with us. Thank you for choosing our recipe and happy cooking! 🙂
Ann Marsden says
I cooked 1.5kg shoulder on pomme Boulanger. Put garlic slivers and rosemary in slits in lamb. 1.2 litre chicken stock over potatoes. Garlic and thyme over potatoes. Cooked as per your instructions. When I took lamb out to rest turned oven up to brown potatoes. Served with Yorkshire pudding, peas and roasted parsnip. BOOOOTIFUL. TKU.
Luke and Kay says
Hi Ann, thank you for your glowing 5-star review of our Slow Roast Lamb Shoulder recipe! We are delighted to hear that you had such an excellent result and a very tasty outcome for the meal. 🙂
Teresa Pearson says
Just feasted on the delicious lamb. Put carrots and potatoes in the tray with the lam. And while resting turned oven up and after removing them from the juices I drizzled with olive oil and omg to die for
Luke and Kay says
Hello Teresa,
Thank you so much for your kind words and positive review of the slow-roast lamb shoulder. We are pleased to hear that you enjoyed it with all the extra ingredients accompanying the meal. It's always delightful to hear creative methods for preparing our recipes 🙂
Cara says
I cooked a 1kg joint so didn’t have to change anything, making it a bit easier. But! It’s SUCH an easy recipe and I think it makes the best lamb I’ve ever had. Soft, succulent and tasty! I ate too much because it tasted so good.. the gravy is also amazing. I didn’t freeze it, I just sucked out the fat on top with a turkey baster once it had settled and cooled a bit. Make it, there’s no better recipe!
Luke and Kay says
Thank you for your glowing review, Cara! We are so glad that you enjoyed our Slow Roast Lamb Shoulder recipe and found it to be the best lamb you have ever tasted. It's great to hear that the gravy was a hit too! 🙂
Diana Gallivan says
Hi ... I just wanted some advice please ..how would you cook a 1.5 lb lamb shoulder roast without the bone?? I was going to cook 2 at the same time as they didn't have any larger or bone in ones. Having some friends over and wanted to make a very British meal! Thank you
Leyla O says
You seriously CANNOT get this recipe wrong!
This is the second time I’ve made this roast lamb shoulder and it is to DIE FOR. Not a single piece left & my family was fighting over it. Totally falls off the bone, we didn’t even need a knife - melted like butter with a tap of a spoon.
Key thing is keeping the tin foil very tight and keeping the temp very low. I actually poured the juice over 4-5 times during the 5 hour cooking period and found this kept the lamb from drying out on the top.
Kay says
Leyla, I'm so glad you enjoyed our slow-roast lamb shoulder recipe! This is definitely one of my favourites too. I love how the succulent lamb falls off the bone; we also have a slow cooker leg of lamb, which we have just posted out with exactly the same results but less effort 🙂
Slow Cooker Leg of Lamb Enjoy 😉
Shane says
I'm wondering if it's best to sear the lamb before putting in the oven? Thanks!
Katie says
I"m also wondering this!
Kay says
Hi Katie
Thanks for the question; we didn't sear our lamb for this recipe, we only really do that when we cook our lamb in a slow cooker, but if you would like to sear your lamb, you can do it.
Please let us know how it comes out.
Thanks, Kay
David says
I'm about to try this but wanted clarification regarding step 7, which instructs you to "Spoon on the mint jelly and rub all over the top.
Remove from roasting tin and place in another tray to continue cooking for 30 minutes leaving uncovered at the same temperature."
I presume this means you are to remove the lamb post mint jelly rub and place ONLY the lamb onto a new tray and cook it for another 30 mins at the same temperature, uncovered. I understand this means leaving the onion trivets and stock in the original tray. Presumably, you can start the gravy while the lamb is cooking for the last 30 mins? Is this correct? If so does the lamb need to be elevated on the new tray or merely rest directly on the bottom of the tray?
Please advise.
Regards
David
Kay says
Hi David, yes, that is correct.
The lamb is removed from the roasting tin and placed directly on the bottom of another tin. The final 30 minutes are for the lamb to brown off with the mint glaze uncovered.
I use the time for the lamb roasting juices to cool enough allowing the fat to separate (as lamb is very fatty, it is best to skim the fat off the top before making the gravy).
I usually start making the gravy after the lamb has cooked and is resting.
Which is when I also cook my roast potatoes followed by Yorkshire puddings!
By this time, the lamb shoulder has had plenty of time for the juices to redistribute, and the meat falls off the bone beautifully.
Hope that helps,
Kay
John T. says
Hi Kay and Luke, I hav a slow cooker and haven't used it yet. I would like to try it out, if I did do you think it would be ok if I set it on low for 3 - 4 hrs it would be the same as in the oven.
Kay says
Hi John, Thank you for your message, it is going to need longer than 4 hours to cook a shoulder of lamb in a slow cooker. For fall off the bone lamb (like seen in this post) I would recommend 6-7 hours in a slow cooker.
More important slow cooker tips:
Make sure to place vegetables under the lamb joint.
Use enough stock to cover the lamb.
DO NOT take the lid off during cooking.
For best results I would recommend finishing in the oven with the glaze for the final 30 minutes.
Hope this helps you? Let us know how it goes!
Kay
Betty says
This turned out perfect. So tender and the instructions were wonderful.
Kay says
Thank you so much, Betty 🙂
So pleased you liked our slow roast lamb shoulder recipe, and the instructions were helpful 😉
Jean says
Just cooked shoulder of lamb following your recipe and it was perfect, I don't usually buy shoulder as it is fatty but cooking this way the fat just melted away and I strained the fat from the liquid and thickened the juices giving us a very tasty gravy, I also added redcurrant jelly to the mint for extra flavour, will definitely be cooking shoulder this way in future.
Kay says
Thank you Jean for this fantastic review 🙂
So pleased you thought our lamb shoulder recipe was perfect and you will be cooking it again in the future 😉
Georgina Paterson says
Absolutely decimated my lamb. Way too hot for too long. Never using this site again.
Kay says
Hi Georgina,
We have had this shoulder of lamb recipe on our site for a year now, in which time it has gained 71 five stars? This is the first negative comment we have had?
Can you give more details, such as what size lamb shoulder, what temperature and what oven you used, how long you cooked the lamb for?
You said way too hot; however, 150°C fan / 170°C / Gas mark 3 / 325°F is only a moderate oven heat?
I wonder if you meant the lamb fell off the bone by decimated? The lamb is meant to fall off the bone, and you will not be able to cut it into neat slices.
Look forward to hearing back from you to try and work out what has gone wrong?
Fiona says
Made this and it’s the best lamb I’ve tasted! Can I use this recipe for a boneless leg of lamb? I would alter the time to the weight but would it cook the same as a shoulder? Thank you!
Luke says
Hi Fiona, so glad to hear you love our lamb shoulder recipe! We do have a slow roast leg of lamb recipe too but that is boned. I always reccomend bone in lamb as it helps cook the meat, keeping it soft and juicy. If you do try this with boneless meat let us know how it goes! If not we will hopefully get round to trying for ourself soon!!
Have a fantastic Christmas day 🎄
Louise says
Great recipe, so easy to follow, best one I’ve found so far…thank you very much
Luke says
Thank you, Louise
So pleased to hear you like our slow roast lamb shoulder 🙂
We love this recipe, it just makes the best Sunday roast!!