Rosemary and Thyme Braised Lamb Shoulder
A succulent bone-in lamb shoulder roast marinated with garlic, fresh herbs, and lemon zest, then slowly braised in white wine until fork-tender. The meat is infused with rosemary and thyme flavors and served with its own rich, herb-infused gravy.
Ingredients
- •1 piece bone-in lamb shoulder roast, tied
- •1 head garlic
- •1½ tablespoons kosher salt
- •1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
- •1 teaspoon black pepper
- •¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- •1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary plus 1 sprig
- •1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme plus 5 sprigs
- •2 cups dry white wine
- •2 cups water
- •2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- •½ teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
- •½ teaspoon minced fresh thyme
- •1 piece heavy pot with lid
- •1 piece roasting pan with foil
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
Make slits in lamb shoulder all over at 2-inch intervals with a paring knife.
5 min
- 2.
Pound garlic with kosher salt, zest, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper to a coarse paste with mortar and pestle (or mince and mash with a large knife), then stir together with oil and 1 tablespoon each of rosemary and thyme. Rub paste all over lamb. Put in heavy pot or roasting pan, then chill, covered, 12 to 24 hours.
20 min
- 3.
Bring roast to room temperature (about 1 hour).
60 min
- 4.
Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in lower third.
15 min
- 5.
Pour wine and water around lamb and add herb sprigs. Cover roast with a sheet of parchment. Cover pot with lid or cover roasting pan tightly with heavy-duty foil. Braise lamb in oven until tender but not falling off the bone, about 3 hours.
180 min
- 6.
Increase oven to 450°F and remove parchment, then braise lamb, covered with lid (or foil), until very tender and top is browned, about 1 hour more. Carefully transfer lamb to a platter and loosely cover with foil. Let it stand 10 minutes.
70 min
- 7.
Pour braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve, then spoon off and discard fat remaining on liquid (you should have about 2 cups liquid; reserve pot). Whisk together flour and 1 cup liquid in a small bowl until smooth. Bring remaining liquid to a boil in uncleaned pot, then whisk in flour mixture and boil, whisking, until thickened, about 4 minutes. Stir in thyme and rosemary and season with salt and pepper.
15 min
- 8.
Remove and discard strings. Meat is too tender to slice with a carving knife; use a meat fork to pull meat into serving pieces.
10 min