Cooking Instructions for Lamb Shoulder Roast
Lamb shoulder does best when cooked with a slow, moist heat and is often used for roasts and stews. Cooked properly, the roast provides a rich taste and tender texture that warms the belly on cool evenings. When you get your lamb roast home from the market and prepare it for cooking, you may notice an opaque tissue covering the meat. Called a “fell,” this layering helps retain moisture within the roast and hold the shape of the meat--do not remove it. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Roasting pan with rack and lid
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Choice of seasonings
- 4 cups root vegetables (carrots, onions, potatoes, turnips, beets)
- 1/2 cup water or broth
- Basting tool
- Meat thermometer
Instructions
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1
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and prepare your roasting pan by placing the roasting rack inside.
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2
Rub the lamb with a light coating of olive oil and season with salt, pepper and spices of your choice. Lamb is very flavorful on its own, so go easy on the spices, but complementary seasonings include fresh garlic, thyme, oregano and rosemary.
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3
Set the lamb inside the roasting pan and surround with the root vegetables. Put one half-cup of water or broth in the bottom of the pan. This helps get a good, moist heat going inside the pan and provides a liquid for basting and gravy.
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4
Cover the roasting pan and set on the middle rack of the oven. Cook for approximately 30 minutes per pound. An average lamb roast weighs between 3 and 4 pounds, which means about a two-hour cooking time.
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5
Baste the roast at the one-hour mark. Do not continuously lift the lid to check the roast, as this will prolong cooking time and let needed moisture escape. Baste at hour and then every 20 minutes until the roast completes cooking.
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6
Check the internal temperature of the meat by placing a meat thermometer probe into the thickest part of the roast. The lamb needs to cook to at least 145 degrees (medium-rare) for safe consumption. Cook to 160 degrees for medium and 170 for well done.
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Remove the roast and give it a 10-minute resting time before carving. This allows the meat’s juices to redistribute throughout the roast, making it easier to carve and more tender
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Tips & Warnings
Serve with the root vegetables and a grain on the side.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Creatas/Creatas/Getty Images
