How to…Cook Lamb Shoulder

Shoulder of lamb is easily overlooked when it comes to choosing cuts. It has a decent amount of fat and most people aren’t sure how to cook it properly. However, if you have some time and love meltingly tender meat, this cut is for you. An added perk is that you get more for your money – it’s a much cheaper cut and you can feed a decent amount of people.

Boned and rolled stuffed shoulder of lamb

Serves 6
Takes 2 and a half hours, plus 1 hour soaking

115g dried apricots
115g couscous
1 tbsp olive oil, plus more for the tin
1 red onion, peeled and roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed, then peeled
115g pine nuts, toasted
Leaves from a large bunch of parsley, roughly chopped
1 egg, beaten
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1.5kg shoulder of lamb, boned weight

• Preheat the oven to 180 C. Place the apricots in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave to plump for 1 hour.
• Just cover the couscous with boiling water and fork through until soft. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over a low-medium heat and cook the onion until soft. Add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes. Stir into the couscous with the pine nuts and parsley. Mix well. Drain and chop the apricots and mix into the couscous with the egg and seasoning.
• Lay the shoulder of lamb out flat, skin side down, and fill with the stuffing, then roll and secure every 5cm with butcher’s twine. Place in a lightly oiled roasting tin and cook in the oven for 1 hour 45 minutes.
• Leave to rest for 10 minutes, then carve and serve with a tomato salad.

Slow roast shoulder of lamb

Recipes from The Ginger Pig Meat Book